Where Your Road Leads
by obsessivemuch
Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?
1. Prologue: As Time Goes By

**Title: Where Your Road Leads  
**  
_Author: Sarafu  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me.  
  
Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?  
  
Dedication: To all the hard-working DT trio authors because you guys rock and you make my day with updates to your stories. I admire your depth of exploration when you take three kids who seem to be a jock, a musician, and a geek respectively and actually look deeper to find Conner's insecurities, Kira's warmth, and Ethan's perception. I've learned so much from a lot of you – keep up the good work._

_Author's Note: This whole chapter is devoted to setting the background of the story._

* * *

Fall 2005

Hey guys,

Boston is gorgeous in the fall. I can already hear the music Kira would write about the color of the leaves. After spending all that time in Reefside where the seasons never change, it's rather refreshing to actually see what autumn looks like. There's even a nip of cold in the air. Does it look the same in North Carolina, Conner?  
  
My classes are fairly easy this semester, but Hayley swears that'll change next semester. I'm glad I spent the summer reading those books she recommended because it's made studying a little easier. I think I'm settling in pretty well – I'm one of the cool people here (shut up, Conner!). But the party scene leaves something to be desired. I guess I should be happy that Boston is a college town; there's always a party somewhere. There are a couple of really pretty girls in my dorm. They're not in the league of Nikki Valentina, but yes, Kira, they do have personalities and brains.  
  
Speaking of personality, it's good to see that some people never change, Mr. Big Shot. Already dating half the school and on track to lead UNC to a national title? It's sounds like you're settling in nicely, too, Conner, but the $64000 question is how are your grades?  
  
Kira, I wish I had your talent with languages. Sure you don't want to share a little of that with me? I can't believe you're taking both Italian and German this semester and French next semester. Not that I can imagine taking any of them – I'm perfectly happy with Java and C. How are the harpsichord lessons? That conservatory seems to have a more rigorous curriculum than MIT. And you're taking opera lessons next semester? I always knew you were a little crazy. It's good that you have Trent to keep you sane. How is he doing up there at SPU?  
  
Did you all get that letter from Dr. O? I'm still bugging over the idea that he has a girlfriend. I wonder what's she's like, hopefully nothing like Randall. Guess we'll see at Christmas.

Peace out, Ethan

* * *

Spring 2006 

"Dude, this had better be an emergency," a voice growled with menace.  
  
"Conner? Ethan, what's wrong?" Kira sounded bleary, but a note of panic crept into her tone.  
  
"Nothing's wrong except for the fact that this is the best day of my life. It even beats becoming a Ranger!" Ethan said, excitement racing across the phone line.  
  
"You do know what time it is, right?" Conner still sounded very unhappy with the wake-up call. "It's Saturday before ten. No classes, no practice means sleeping in."  
  
"If you hadn't stayed out partying all night, you might have heard Ethan when he said that he had good news. Be quiet, Conner."  
  
Ethan laughed. Even though it was much earlier in Kira's time zone, she had listened to his words. "You know that internship I applied for? The one with EA Games? I got it – they think I'll be a good addition to the team."  
  
His exhilarated news woke Conner fully. "Dude, you're going to work for the people who came up with Madden 2006? Awesome!"  
  
"Yeah, I'm gonna fly out there the day after classes end. I don't think I'll be working for EA Sports – it's some sort of top-secret game. The best part is that I'll actually have a video game credit to my name. I'll be legitimate, and this internship could open all sorts of doors for me."  
  
"So you're going to be working there the whole summer?" Kira asked neutrally.  
  
As the implications of the thought sank into their heads, a silence settled between them. "Well, yeah, I guess so. But it won't be any different than college. There'll still be e-mail and phone calls, and I'll probably come home for a couple of weeks."  
  
"I know, and it's a great opportunity, Ethan," she said with genuine happiness. "It's not like we had any huge plans."  
  
"Maybe we could take a road trip to see you, bro," Conner suggested.  
  
"I'd like that. I should let you guys get back to sleep. I still have to tell my parents."

* * *

Fall 2006 

Hey Hayley,

Classes are going okay. Business management is not a fun major. I'd much rather be drawing, but whenever I sit down to try, all I can hear are my dad's final words. And those just make me pick up my books to study harder.  
  
I haven't seen Kira much this year between her band rehearsals and my responsibilities to Anton Mercer Industries. But I'll pass the message to her since we have a dinner date at this great French bistro.  
  
I wasn't too surprised to hear about Ethan's successful internship, but I'm happy for him. Kira tells everyone about his success, Conner, too. Sometimes I think the only people she ever talks about are Ethan and Conner. She missed Ethan over the summer. It was probably a good thing that Conner didn't go play pro soccer right away – she needed him. I only wish I had been able to spend more time with her, but she has entertained me with all sorts of stories about the mischief they got into.  
  
How's Dr. O doing? Is the Cyberspace still the cool teen hangout? If you ever wanted to franchise it, it would be a financially sound investment and I know some guys.

Trent

* * *

Winter 2007 

When the phone rang, Conner gratefully took a break from his math book. His caller ID flashed his best friend's name so he happily answered the phone. "Hey Kira, I didn't think I'd hear from you."  
  
Soft sniffles traveled down the line. "Con-ner." Her voice broke as she started to sob.  
  
Alarmed, he tried to soothe her tears. "Kira, take a deep breath and tell me what's wrong." Kira never cried.  
  
He sensed her silent struggle for control, and eventually, the sobs trailed off into nothingness. "It's over," she said tremulously. "Me and Trent – it's over."  
  
Torn between a thousand different emotions, he settled for sympathy. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"  
  
"No," she said. "But I need to tell you."  
  
He understood the cryptic words, knowing that she did not want to tell him because he had always been the most vocal opponent of their relationship. "Kira, tell me what that bastard did to you," he raged.  
  
She managed a small watery chuckle. "How do you know it was Trent's fault?"  
  
"Because you're the one crying. And you never cry. You get angry and yell or you get sad and withdraw, but you never cry."  
  
Used to his random astute observations, Kira barely blinked an eye or acknowledged that he might be right. "I went to SPU to surprise Trent for lunch, but when I got there," her voice trembled slightly, "he was already having a romantic lunch with some girl from his Macroeconomics class. We both said some things and it turns out he's been seeing her for the last few months. Conner, he hates me because I remind him of when he was evil and I keep him from starting over." The tears started falling again with her announcement.  
  
He murmured nonsense, trying helplessly to comfort while plotting the best way to kill Trent and thinking about the poetic irony of chopping his heart into tiny pieces. "He's the most idiotic person on the planet to hate you for anything especially because you stood by him at a time when most people would have cut and run." He kept talking about Kira's loyalty, friendship, and every other thing he admired about his best friend.  
  
Listening to his words made her feel much better and before long, he had her giggling at his exaggerations. "Thank you, Conner."  
  
"For what?"  
  
'For not saying "I told you so."'  
  
After he finally said goodbye to the tired girl, he put out an emergency call to Ethan, and they put together a plan to help Kira. When they appeared on her doorstep less than 24 hours later, she simply moved into their comforting arms and let them help her through the worst of the pain and betrayal in her heart.

* * *

Late Spring 2007 

Dr. O,

I got the wedding invitation – I can't believe you're taking the plunge, but at least Kim is fairly normal even for an ex-Ranger. I should be able to make it to the ceremony even if I do make the U.S. Olympic Team (still can't believe they actually asked me to try out). We're going to be practicing all summer for the CONCACAF qualifying tournament, and I'm going to transfer to one of the colleges near the training facility. It's a good thing I had you guys riding me about my studies or I probably would've flunked out by now.  
  
As much as I'm excited to play soccer against the rest of the world, I'm going to miss you all this summer. At least, Ethan and Kira will have you and Hayley in Reefside even if Ethan is going to be taking classes from Hayley so he can graduate early. I know he planning on keeping an eye on Kira, but can you watch out for her, too? I guess Trent has started trying to worm his way into her life by playing the "we can still be friends" card. She's not ready to deal with it, and I'm worried that he might try to force her to deal with it. That snake hurt her badly, and she's just now returning to the Kira that we all know. It took her weeks to write a new song, and musicians usually thrive on that sort of pain.

Tell Kim and Hayley I said hi, Conner

* * *

Fall 2007  
  
Kira, 

Thank you for your help with the wedding. I don't know how I could have done it without you to help with all the details. Between you and Hayley, I don't think any couple had better wedding planners. And I still cry when I hear that song you wrote for us (which has been often because Tommy and I have already watched the wedding video a hundred times).  
  
I hope that I was able to help you with the Trent situation. I haven't really been in your shoes, but I've been on his side and friendships between exes don't work until time has passed. Don't force it into existence. It took Tommy and I years to get back to that point, but it was a deeper friendship because we weren't on pedestals any longer and we could understand each other. I'm not saying that you and Trent will ever find your ways back to each other, but it's important to know that love deserves as many chances as you can give it. It helps to have wonderful friends. Trust me - don't ever take them for granted. I hope that my perspective has helped even a little.

Have a good school year, Kim

* * *

Winter 2008 

AP News Wire: The biggest story to come out of the Olympic training facility is a 21-year- old unknown named Conner McKnight. The rising soccer star is proving to be the best hope the US has in taking a medal in a sport where they rarely get close. He led the team to earn one of the twelve spots in the Olympic sport, and his speed and power are already legendary. It's hard to believe that the MLS and the U.S. National Team all missed the young powerhouse.

* * *

Spring 2008 

"Dude, I really wish I could make it to your graduation. I'm so bummed that Coach won't let me fly out for the weekend. Otherwise, I'd totally be there."  
  
"It's all right, Conner. You're an Olympian. There are some things that supersede a silly graduation. I really wish we could be there to see you win the gold medal. It's too bad tickets are so hard to come by."  
  
"Well, Kira already said she has other plans for the summer. It really sounds like a regular gig at that nightclub could lead to something bigger. Plus, she's teaching sort of workshop to inner city kids. But you guys will be there in spirit."  
  
"Damn right, and we'll be glued to the TV during your games."  
  
"I still wish I could be at your graduation – it's too bad that you're such an overachieving geek. We could have had a huge graduation party at Hayley's next summer."  
  
"We still can, Conner." Ethan paused before he spoke again. "It's weird that none of us will be in Reefside this summer."  
  
"Not as weird as the fact that you have rejected a million job offers," Conner countered with a laugh. "Must be nice."  
  
"The money that Microsoft paid for that file storage utility I developed was enough to start my own company."  
  
"I can't believe you're gonna have your own company at 21."  
  
"Says the rising Olympic star. Besides, I have a great idea based on one of the job offers I received."  
  
"Really, what is it?" Conner asked with interest.  
  
"It's a secret, but if it ever gets off the ground, you'll be the first one to know, okay?"

* * *

Fall 2008 

Olympic bronze medalist Conner McKnight is most comfortable on the soccer field, but he looks relaxed as he slips into the seat across from me. He's dressed casually, wearing a Team USA shirt and jeans. The focus and concentration he usually reserves for the field is used to look over the menu. But when he finally orders a mountain of food, the intensity is gone and what's left is a charming young man with a devastating smile. It's little wonder that he has thousands in his fan club. More surprising is his candor on and off the field.  
  
**How does it feel to be called the next David Beckham?** He wishes. No, really, I'm Conner McKnight and that's enough.  
  
**You wound up with quite a reputation at the Games. Why did you talk about winning rather than competing? To most athletes, just competing is an honor.** Well, sure, but we were all there to win, and if they were honest with themselves, they'd see that winning is even more important.  
  
**What were you thinking as they gave you the bronze medal?** Next time, it's going to be a gold medal with the American anthem playing in the background.  
  
**Your critics have called you cocky and arrogant. What would you say to them?** Stand in line – you're not the first to call me that. Self-confidence is always a threat to the insecure.  
  
**Who would you dedicate your victory to?** There are a lot of people who deserve recognition. My parents, my coaches, Dr. Oliver, Hayley, but I'd have to say Ethan and Kira, my best friends who couldn't be there in person.  
  
**You already are quite the lady-killer. Have you found that someone special yet?** Nope, I'm still looking but I'm having fun doing it. I'm too young to settle down, and I have impossibly low standards according to my friends. I guess I should find some of those first.  
  
**Why did you choose to finish up school instead of going into Major League Soccer?** I know you've had several offers. Education is important, and I believe in finishing things. There will be a new draft in the spring – that's soon enough.  
  
**Would you consider joining the U.S. National Team in time for the World Cup Championship?** Not until I have a gold medal first and foremost. Ask me in 2012.

* * *

Spring 2009 

"Do you really think you'll go first today?" Kira asked from her seat next to Conner.  
  
"My agent thinks so. He's already had half a dozen offers from teams. I think I'll be playing somewhere on the East Coast though since that's where most of the interest is coming from."  
  
"Will you be going to a good team?"  
  
"Probably not, but I don't mind. I want a team that rebuilding and has room for a new leader."  
  
"Kira, look, we're on TV," Ethan said, pointing at a big screen TV where an ESPN commentator was wondering about the two mystery people with Conner McKnight.  
  
"Does my hair really look like that?" Kira sounded horrified.  
  
"Don't touch it; you'll make it noticeable and worse, Kira," Conner advised with a wicked grin. "And dude, don't point. It makes you look like a hick.'  
  
"Oh yes, wise one." Ethan rolled his eyes at Kira, but the pair took his advice, aware of his experience in the national limelight.  
  
Kira suddenly dove into her bag and pulled out a grainy X-ray. "Kim sent me this to show you."  
  
They stared dubiously at the tiny peanut-shaped image. "What are we looking at?"  
  
"The baby."  
  
"I can't believe Dr. O's going to be a dad," Ethan said.  
  
Her friends agreed wholeheartedly as Kira murmured, "Better him than us.'  
  
An announcement interrupted the discussion. "The New York/New Jersey Metrostars will be making the first pick of the 2009 Superdraft." Conner gave a nearly imperceptible nod toward one of the sharply dressed men nearby. Kira glanced at him quizzically, but he shrugged and indicated patience. "And the first selection is as expected . . . Conner McKnight, University of North Carolina."  
  
"Dude, that's you!" Ethan jumped from his chair with excitement.  
  
"I know," Conner said, but he was clearly thrilled, grinning as he hugged his best friend.  
  
Turning to Kira, he beamed at her with joy. "That's awesome, Conner. We knew you could do it." Her eyes shone with delight, and she kissed his cheek impulsively amid blinding flashbulbs.  
  
"I'm playing pro soccer, Kira!" He swept her up into a hug that was soon joined by Ethan, three people who completely ignored the chaos surrounding them for the shared success.

* * *

Fall 2009 

Conner,

It looks like that educational soccer game you suggested it going to be a huge hit in foreign countries. Thanks for endorsing the product – your household name is going to make it popular in the U.S. as well. It's probably a good thing that you are popular – I never realized that pro soccer paid so little compared to other sports. And yet I can't help but fear the giant thirty-foot billboards everywhere featuring you and a bottle of Gatorade. By the way, the number of magazines that have you on the cover amuses me. You don't know how to do things by half-measures, do you?  
  
My secret project plods on, but I think I'm close to a breakthrough and you'll be the first to know what the project is like I promised. Glad you and Kira both liked the stock certificates I gave you as graduation presents – hold onto those, they'll be worth something someday. I'm still dating Angela who told me to say hi and ask when the pin-up calendar is coming out. I informed her that your ego really didn't need any more ideas, and the only reason I would buy an item like that is to throw darts at it.  
  
I talked to Trent last week. He's already taken over a few mismanaged companies and made a few million for AMI. Not bad for the guy who never wanted to touch his dad's business. He hasn't heard from Kira lately, and I think it's been a month or so since I talked to her. You haven't talked to her by any chance, have you? I'm worried about her – she's sounded pretty down the last few times I've talked to her.

Talk to you soon, Ethan

* * *

Winter 2010 

IT'S A GIRL!

Name: Alexa Lynn Oliver

Weight: 7 lbs, 1 oz

Height: 21 inches

Date: January 17, 2010

Time: 9:01 p.m.  
  
Dear Kira,

Baby Alexa is the sweetest infant on the planet. She has her daddy's eyes and disposition, and she already laughs at the world around her. Tommy and I hope you will make it back in time for Hayley's surprise party. Anything we can do to make it possible, just let us know.  
  
I don't pretend to know what's going through your head right now, but Conner and Ethan are incredibly worried about you. To have two strong hearts devoted to you is a gift. They think that you're pulling away because of their success, that it makes you a failure somehow, but I told them not to be so ridiculous. The Kira Ford I know is too strong and persistent to let anything so silly affect her that deeply. Write back soon and let me know if you meet any cute boys. Remember, I live vicariously through you now. I'm including a copy of Conner's pin-up calendar because it is priceless.

With love from the whole Oliver family, Kim  
  
P.S. Alexa desperately wants to meet you.

* * *

Spring 2010 

Kira,

If you ever do anything like that again, I will fly to Seattle and strangle you myself. You had us all worried about you for far too long. You're more than just a waitress, and you never could be just a waitress. You were a Yellow Ranger in a long line of noble Yellow Rangers (and the best if I do say so myself) – that alone validates your entire existence. More than that though, you can speak four languages fluently and play five different instruments which is more than Ethan and I can do. So you don't want to play in an orchestra or join an opera company? Don't then – it's that simple. You told me yourself that you have a pretty loyal fan following. Just keep building on that. Everyone knows that music is the hardest industry to break into. Ethan and I had an easier time because there are traditional paths to follow, and Trent pretty much inherited his business. But you – only like one percent of aspiring singers/musicians ever make it – it's an ugly statistic, but Kira Ford, you are one of the one percent. There's no one like you at all, and we all know that your songs have always been better than the crap played on the radio. But if you ever, ever pull away from us all again, I swear . . .  
  
Has Ethan said much to you about his secret project? He won't say anything about it to me except that he's going to reveal it soon. Can't believe he suggested that Kim send you a copy of the pin-up calendar. He's using his for darts – let me guess, you're using yours for a coaster, right?  
  
My team is doing really well this year. A lot of people think we'll win the Lamar Hunt Trophy and the U.S. Cup if we can keep winning on the road. There's not much to tell on the dating front, just the usual round of soccer groupies and models. None of them were interesting enough to last much longer than a couple of weeks.

I will call later this week, Conner

* * *

Fall 2010 

In business news, software developer Ethan James unveiled a new technology this week to the delight of Wall Street and several wireless companies. The new technology for cell phones allows users to talk directly to each other using video. Unlike webcams and cell cameras, the vid cell technology is real time, crystal clear communication. He is currently entertaining offers from Verizon, AT&T, and Cingular. Leaks from company officials claim that the bidding started in the hundred millions and could reach a billion dollars before James sells the technology. James had little to say, only commenting, "The cell phone industry has become stale in the last few years. I suspect that vid cell tech will revolutionize the industry and change the future of cell phones." When asked about future projects, James remained silent and secretive.

* * *

Winter 2011 

Dear Man of the Year,

I don't think you can accuse me of being a glory hog anymore. For one thing, all of my covers of _People_, _US Weekly_, and _ESPN_ are nothing compared to a prestigious magazine like _Time_. For another, I see your face all over the TV these days. I still can't believe you manage to create a technology that's already changing the face of communications. C'mon, you can tell me how much Verizon finally ponied up for vid cell technology. I'm your best friend, dude.  
  
It sounds like Kira is doing pretty well in Seattle. Her first gig at that hot new club was awesome. She's pretty pissed at me though. I don't know what's wrong with mentioning her name once or twice in interviews is such a bad thing, but she keeps talking about losing credibility as an artist and how she wants to make it on her own without her friends' connections. Maybe you understand what she's talking about? I don't like the sound of her new relationship – he sounds like Trent, only weirder, but she told me to butt out of that, too.  
  
I heard from Dr. O last week. He and Kim are gonna bring Alexa to New York for spring break He says Hayley is doing great and that she's had an offer to franchise out the concept. I think it's pretty cool to imagine having a Hayley's right down the street since it's one of the things I miss most about Reefside. I guess Trent's picked up quite a reputation for ruthless takeovers – nice to see the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I'd pretend to be shocked, but I remember that particular trait very well.  
  
What's it like to be one of the richest men on the planet? Are you still dating that actress from Ocean Alert?

Conner (the real Man of the Year)

* * *

Summer 2011 

Conner,

How goes practice? I remember that the last time you thought it was a piece of cake, but this time out, you're not the young unknown. In fact, as one of only three players over 23, you're quite old. I was sorry to read about your latest break-up with Gina, the anorexic model, but only because all the tabloids were predicting a wedding by the end of the year. Since I am one of your best friends and wasn't even aware that you were out shopping for an engagement ring, I'm guessing it was a ploy for media attention. After all, Ethan has been hogging your spotlight for almost eight months now. But just so you know, I only watch because it's like watching a train wreck. I mean the idea of the great Conner McKnight losing his heart – it just makes me laugh. Especially since I know you have better taste than that.  
  
Everything is fine here. We actually have had a couple of record producers come through to listen to a set or two. They keep saying we're not right for the markets they're looking for, but they really do like the music. One even said I have a future in songwriting. I'm planning to go back to Reefside at Christmas, and I know Ethan will be there – will the great Conner McKnight be joining us?  
  
Speaking of Ethan, I don't think I've ever heard him so happy before. He's well on his way to becoming that multi-billionaire that he used to taunt you about. I'm glad because I don't know anyone who deserves success more than you and Ethan.  
  
I'm still thinking about your offer. I do know that the one thing I won't do is cash in that stock certificate that Ethan gave me for graduation even if it is worth a lot of money. But I do want to go, Conner – I just don't know how I would pay you back. I'll give you an answer at Christmas. Maybe that'll give you an incentive to join us.

Love, Kira

* * *

Winter 2012 

Hayley,

It's funny that NASA won't let you tell anyone where you are – I know it's a top-secret project, but who would try to destroy NASA? Anyway, the kids were home for Christmas this year which was great – it seemed almost like old times. Trent declared that Hayley's isn't the same without you, and the kids backed his assertion up. Conner, Ethan, and Kira all looked great and they seem pretty content with their lives. Ethan brought home his newest girlfriend, and she seemed very down-to-earth and funny – I think you'd like her a lot. Conner was surprisingly solo, but I guess he likes it that way so he can focus on the Olympics. He's determined to win that gold this time. Kira was a lot happier than she's been in a long time. Trent's the one I'm worried about though. He appeared to be extra-stressed and lonely.  
  
Kim says hi and hopes you'll be back in time for the new baby. Alexa is very excited to be a big sister – she misses her Aunt Hayley though.

See you soon (hopefully), Tommy

* * *

Late Fall 2012 

Breakout Artist of the Year: Newest singing sensation Kira Ford is the name on everybody's lips right now. Kira languished on the Seattle music scene until a rising record executive discovered her playing in one of the hottest clubs. Jim Archer offered her a record contract on the spot, but rumor has it that she refused to sign until the lawyers of her best friends looked it over. Once she did, everything happened in a blur according to Kira. She recorded the album in two weeks, using her own material to fill an album. She then flew to New York to watch childhood friend Conner McKnight lead the U.S. Men's Soccer Team to its first Olympic gold. As her plane landed, she was greeted with the news that she had the number one song in the country. When her album debuted a few days later, it landed in the number one spot on the Billboard chart. Since then, Kira's album, "Freak You Out," has gone gold, and every stop on her first limited tour sold out within an hour. She has been a fresh, honest voice in a music industry dominated by hip-hop and rap, and she has almost single-handedly revitalized the rock scene. With a gold album under her belt, Kira is already back in the studio to record her sophomore album with a release date some time next spring.

* * *

Winter 2013 

"A year ago, I never would have dreamed that I would be on this stage, accepting a Grammy for Best Rock Album, but this whole crazy ride of success would be nothing without the people I love. First of all, I want to thank my fans who have been wonderfully supportive, and I want to thank every single artist in this auditorium tonight for paving the way and pushing the boundaries of music. Mom, Dad, thank you for the dance lessons, music appreciation, and my first guitar. Hayley, Kim, Alexa, Ben, I love you all. Trent, even in the worst of times, you've been an inspiration. Dr. O, thanks for bringing me together with the best friends I could ask for. Ethan and Conner, your success has been my success, and my success is your success, too. This Grammy is for you as much as it's for me. I love you guys."

* * *

Fall 2013

Class of '05 Alumni Newsletter  
  
Reefside's own Grammy-winner Kira Ford recently returned home to be closer to LA. The platinum artist played to sold-out crowds all summer long on her recent tour while her second album remains on the top of the Billboard chart.  
  
Olympic gold medalist Conner McKnight, Athlete of the Year 2012, is currently helping the U.S. National team to qualify for its first World Cup in a decade. He is determined to win the World Cup for the first time in U.S. history.  
  
EJ Software has become a household name thanks to many successful programs and games developed by Ethan James. Best now for his revolutionary vid cell technology, the software creator has been seen around Reefside often. Could he be looking for a new project?  
  
Business magnate Trent Fernandez-Mercer has found his success by turning local company Anton Mercer Industries into a multinational conglomerate.  
  
Devin Armstrong is currently writing human-interest stories for a variety of magazines including _People_, _TV Guide_, and _Vogue_.  
  
Local reporter Cassidy Cornell has been promoted to field reporter at KVPR.


	2. The Path of Least Resistance

**Title: Where Your Road Leads**  
  
_Author: Sarafu  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me.  
  
Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?  
  
Dedication: To Casey whose talent and encouragement keep me writing, episode reviews keep me laughing, and insane marathon AIM session spawned the "Best Fic Ever" and to Darkchilde who has taken up residence in my head and puts her feelings about the Power Rangers more eloquently than I can manage._  
  
**Chapter 1: The Path of Least Resistance**  
  
January 2014  
  
David Lancaster studied the list in front of him. He had yet to see one of these concerts go off without a hitch, and he had a hard time believing that nothing had gone wrong yet. He glanced around the temporary office where the chaos was at an absolute minimum. He heard her manager raving at some idiot, heard the low, excited hum of fans as they started to fill the auditorium, and heard silence from her dressing room. Everything was in place, and nothing else could – the phone at his elbow began to hum insistently. When he had first started, she had explained several of the personalized rings, but he didn't know this one. It was most likely a priority call simply because the ring sounded similar to the one from her best friend.  
  
"Kira Ford," he answered crisply, watching a somewhat familiar face fill the screen.  
  
"You don't look like Kira," the man said with an amused grin.  
  
"I'm Miss Ford's assistant," he explained stiffly, hearing the laughter.  
  
"I figured that out. Anyway, I called to talk to Kira not one of her lackeys." He sounded so supremely aware of himself that David had to resist the urge to hang up on him.  
  
"Well, I'm sorry, but Miss Ford is unavailable before concerts." He felt a perverse pleasure in saying no to the arrogant guy. A sudden doubt popped into his head as he thought about his words. "Which all of Miss Ford's friends and family know." His voice changed from cool to menacing in a heartbeat. "I don't know how you whackos get her number, but you're kidding yourself if you think I'm going to let you talk to her. Instead, I'm going to hang up and call the cops."  
  
"Whackos? Look, dude, Kira will talk to me. Trust me on that." David didn't look any more convinced by his argument, and he sighed irritably. "Ethan never said I'd have to get past a pit bull."  
  
"Ethan?" In the group of Kira's friends, he was the best known to David. He called every other day and had a habit of dropping in to see Kira randomly. David liked Ethan because he was obviously devoted to rock star and tended to make Kira smile beatifically when she realized that he had called.  
  
"Yes, Ethan, James, the person who gave me this number." He rolled his eyes with annoyance on the screen.  
  
"Mr. James wouldn't give this number to just anyone," he said slowly. David knew that much from the beginning. In a meeting about her security, Ethan had mentioned that he never put Kira's private number on technological devices because there was always that one hacker who believed he could beat Ethan James and the risk was not worth it. That a computer genius would be so guarded about her number when his software was the most secure in the world – David finally understood that Ethan was overprotective of Kira but that the letters were not a matter to be taken lightly. "There's no way he would give it to you."  
  
Frustrated, he ran his fingers through his hair. "Correction, he wouldn't give it to someone he didn't trust with his life or, more importantly, with Kira's life. And dude, they've trusted me with more than their lives for a very long time."  
  
Wondering what exactly could be more important than their lives, David shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Miss Ford doesn't talk to anyone before a concert."  
  
"Look, just ask her if she'll talk to me. If she says no, I'll just catch her later." Even though his words were persuasive, David knew that Kira would say no even to someone who used Ethan's name – in fact, he was fairly sure she'd say no to Ethan as well.  
  
"All right. What name should I give her?" he asked wearily.  
  
The caller looked dumbfounded. "You really don't know who I am?" With laughter threatening his tone again, he said, "Tell her it's an old friend from school."  
  
"Nope, we constantly get a reporter named Cassie or something claiming that she went to school with Miss Ford in order to get an interview with her," David said firmly.  
  
"Fine. Just ask her if yellow is her best color." His tone was annoyed again.  
  
Yet even as David opened his mouth to refuse, he stared at the yellow vidphone in his hand. He remembered a brief exchange between Kira and Ethan where he had made fun of her favorite color, and she had pertly retorted that it was her best color. And she always wore a splash of yellow somewhere even if it was simply a yellow rose in her hair. The arrogant young man associating yellow with the rocker seemed to lend credibility to his claims about Ethan and friendship. "All right, I'll ask, but I doubt she'll say yes."  
  
"Finally!" was the last thing David heard as he put the phone on hold and walked toward her dressing room door.  
  
"Miss Ford!" He knocked loudly on her door, hoping he wasn't interrupting her at all.  
  
"Come in, David. The door's unlocked," she called. "And what have I told you about calling me Miss Ford?" she chided as the door swung open, sending a reproving gaze toward her young assistant.  
  
He turned crimson with embarrassment. They had the same discussion every time he forgot to call her Kira. "Sorry, Miss – Kira."  
  
With an indulgent smile, Kira turned her attention back to the design she was painting on her smallest toe. "What's up? Is it almost time?"  
  
"Uh, not quite." He cleared his throat nervously and tried to keep his gaze away from her perfect feet. "You have a phone call."  
  
"That's odd," she muttered reflectively, studying her toes. "Everyone knows not to call before a gig."  
  
"He said he was an old friend from school and asked if yellow was still your best color. It's probably just a psycho. I mean he tried to say that Mr. James gave him the number, and I don't think that's true. I'll get rid of him and call the police."  
  
Kira looked at the phone thoughtfully. "No, wait. The number was just changed. The only people who have it are the people I love best in the world, and none of them would just give it away." She reached for the phone, flexing her toes in the process.  
  
"Are you sure?" David remembered her manager's explicit instructions about phone calls with startling clarity.  
  
"Give me the phone," she answered with a touch of impatience.  
  
He reluctantly handed her the phone, watching as she expertly took the caller off hold and glanced at the screen. "Hello?"  
  
"I can't decide if it's remarkably self-centered or incredibly brilliant to have your vidphone hold music be your own tunes, Kira."  
  
"I prefer incredibly brilliant," she said airily, but her face lit up as she recognized the man. There were only a few people who made her smile of sunshine appear, and he was obviously one of them. "Speaking of remarkably self-centered, I haven't talked to you in forever, Conner McKnight. You could pick up the phone more often."  
  
David leaned against the door, feeling extremely unintelligent. Everyone knew that Conner McKnight, Ethan James, and Kira Ford were best friends. Her first Grammy speech broke that secret wide open. No wonder he had been so sure that she would speak to him.  
  
"It's just that we're on such whack schedules right now. I have practice when you're sleeping, you have rehearsals when I'm available, and I'm sleeping when you're performing. Between the three hour time difference and fame, it's been hard finding a free moment to call you," Conner reminded her, but the smiles they exchanged acknowledged that the fame thing was what they had signed up for when they became celebrities. "Especially with you on tour and me on the road."  
  
David couldn't read her expression, but he heard the reluctance in her tone. "I know. I haven't made much of an effort either." She sounded mad as she glared at him. "Stop it, McKnight. It's not the first time I've admitted you're right so get that stupid smirk off your face or else I'll hang up right now."  
  
Whatever effort the soccer player made seemed to be enough for Kira as she relaxed. "So what's up with you?"  
  
Conner had realized that they still had company so he spoke loudly, "Dude, could you go away so we can have a private conversation?"  
  
Caught eavesdropping, David felt even worse when Kira turned and smiled at him gently. "David, can you please check the sets and the costumes? I'll be ready to perform when I'm needed. Thank you." He slunk from the room, swimming in humiliation – the worst sin of a personal assistant was to invade his boss's privacy.  
  
"Conner, you could be a little nicer. David didn't know that you're one of my best friends especially since you wouldn't give him your name," she scolded.  
  
"Sorry," he said, sounding as repentant as a Conner apology could manage to be. "It was just refreshing to find someone who didn't know who I was."  
  
"I bet," she murmured longingly.  
  
"Anyway, I called because Ethan said you have a concert in Massachusetts next week."  
  
"Yeah, so?" Her nose wrinkled with concentration.  
  
"Well, that is near the practice facility and I have Wednesday off so I was wondering if my favorite award-wining musician wanted to have lunch with little old me." He batted his eyelashes at her in a terribly obsequious fashion.  
  
Laughing, she shook her head at him. "You've never considered yourself unimportant so you can't start now." She puzzled through his words before she beamed joyfully. "You're really going to be that close? Of course, we have to meet for lunch, and you have to come to my concert."  
  
"Something like that," he agreed, marveling at the way she sparkled with life when she was happy.  
  
"Oh, this is fantastic, Conner. Definitely one of your better ideas."  
  
Conner grinned. "Thanks for the backhanded compliment."  
  
"You know that isn't what I meant," she retorted, not trying to fight her own smile.  
  
It was the same easy camaraderie that had governed their friendship. "Ethan didn't mention that you have a gig tonight."  
  
"He probably didn't know. I can't even keep track of my own schedule. He usually calls in the morning just in case. Here, hang on a second, let me plug you into my screen so I can finish getting ready and you can tell me all about soccer." His handsome face soon filled the large monitor on the dressing room table.  
  
"What do you have left to do? You look great to me," Conner said affectionately as he surveyed her figure.  
  
"I need to finish painting my toes, and I need to do my hair and make-up. I'm definitely not going on stage in my fluffy yellow bathrobe." Kira rolled her eyes.  
  
"Hey, I bet your fans would love it. What are you painting on your toenails?"  
  
"Why do you care?"  
  
"Ethan and I used to have an ongoing bet about your toenail polish. Half the time we defaulted because we couldn't get Trent to tell us or we couldn't find a way to get a glimpse short of stealing your shoes."  
  
"Hmm, well, that explains a lot and makes me feel a little better. I figured you guys had foot fetishes . . . . which was frankly disturbing since you guys were my best friends."  
  
Conner suddenly looked very uncomfortable. Kira had come somewhat close to the origin of the bet. He managed a realistic laugh. "Not even close, Kira. We were just being competitive."  
  
"Typical. Anyway, today's masterpiece is nothing more than yellow polish with multi-colored dots. But you've avoided my question long enough – how is your career?"  
  
"Oh, you know, it's soccer. I love to play it, and it's exciting to be the U.S.'s best hope to win the World Cup."  
  
Pausing in her preparations, she studied him with a perceptive gaze. "So why don't you sound happy, Conner?"  
  
"I am happy, Kira. You know I wouldn't trade soccer for anything and I wouldn't give it up either. It's just that it feels like I'm missing something. Some of that is you and Ethan – I hate being so far away from you two, but there's something else, too." His admission wasn't one he would make to anyone except Ethan and Kira because he knew how childish it sounded.  
  
Kira's eyes filled with familiar empathy. She hurt for him especially when it came to her friends. He was such a great guy who deserved someone wonderful so he could be happy. "Conner, maybe it's time for a real girlfriend. It sounds like you want companionship." He opened his mouth to say uncertain words, but she waved off his next sentence. "I know, I know, Conner McKnight isn't ready to settle down."  
  
Conner wanted to correct her misperception, but something in his brain stopped him from blurting out words he could never take back. "I'll take your advice under consideration. And how is my favorite ex-Yellow Ranger doing? I saw that you're gonna be back in the studio by the end of the year."  
  
"I'm tired," she admitted. "It's the touring – a different stop every night combined with a high energy show. It's been exhausting. At least I am almost done. There's something about touring that saps my creativity so I'm looking forward to writing again."  
  
"Thirty minutes until show time, Kira." Her manager thumped on her door.  
  
"Ask not for whom the bells tolls . . ." Kira murmured.  
  
"It tolls for thee," Conner finished cheerfully. "We'll have lunch on Wednesday, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll have David clear my schedule," she said, slightly distracted. Her eyes cleared and she smiled at Conner with warmth. "And we'll talk a lot more on that day, okay?"  
  
A trapped feeling rose in his stomach as Conner nodded. "Okay, I'll call you later in the week to work out the details. I can't wait to see you."  
  
"Have a good night, Conner."  
  
"Break a leg, Miss Ford."

* * *

Conner pressed end and stared at the blank screen. He hated the unspoken threat he heard in her tone. She made having a girlfriend sound like the easiest task, but he knew it was untrue for him. He was incompatible with the females he had dated (half the population of New York City to hear the tabloids tell his story), and he was well aware of the fact. He pressed speed dial and watched the Olympic ceremony that filled his screen (courtesy of Ethan's sense of humor).  
  
"Ethan here," a voice answered with preoccupation as he typed on the nearby keyboard.  
  
"E, why didn't you tell me about Kira's pit bull?"  
  
At the sound of Conner's voice, Ethan pushed the keyboard away and focused his attention on the screen with a grin. "You must have talked to David."  
  
"I don't know his name – he was too busy threatening to hang up and call the cops on me." Irritation returned as Conner reviewed the conversation in his head.  
  
"Why would he do that?"  
  
"Because he didn't know who I was and thought I was a whacko apparently."  
  
The athlete missed the shadows that crossed Ethan's face, but the programmer logically asked, "Even after you told him your name?"  
  
"Dude, he didn't know who I was at all – how often do you think that happens? Besides, once I got through to Kira, he was totally embarrassed."  
  
Frowning, Ethan shook his head. "You shouldn't have done that. David's a good kid, and he was just trying to do his job. So how did you finally get to talk to our rock star?"  
  
"Well, the fact that you gave me the number was enough to deliver a color- coded message to her. It was a piece of cake, and she was totally willing to take my call. Those codes were brilliant, dude."  
  
Ethan ignored the compliment. "I'm sure she was happy you finally called – you had her a little worried."  
  
"Yeah, we're having lunch when she's in Boston next week. I didn't have much of a chance to talk to her though – she has a concert tonight."  
  
"No wonder David was so reluctant. Her manager hates for Kira to be distracted before a concert," Ethan laughed.  
  
"I have a hard time believing that Kira would let anyone dictate something like that."  
  
"I think she lets them think she needs the time alone so they won't bug her about everything that might be going wrong."  
  
"Hmm." Conner barely heard the reasoning.  
  
Knowing that his best friend was rarely pensive, Ethan prodded, "What's wrong, Conner?"  
  
"Oh, Kira started in on her whole I-need-a-girlfriend lecture, someone I love and respect. And lunch is going to be ten times worse – she'll probably offer to set me up with someone she's sure I'll like."  
  
Any trace of amusement vanished from Ethan's expression. "Why don't you tell her the truth? At the very least, she'd leave you alone about having a girlfriend."  
  
"She would skin me alive and then spend the rest of my short life making fun of me." Conner's dejected look was eerily reminiscent of a little boy denied his favorite toy.  
  
"Conner, she's your best friend. Do you really think she would tease you once she knew the real reason you won't commit to anyone?"  
  
"Because telling Kira that none of the girls I've dated measures up to her isn't too ridiculously pathetic and melodramatic. And telling her that I've been attracted to her for ten years isn't exactly going to make her do handstands, Ethan."  
  
"I think Kira would be far more understanding that you think she would especially if you tell her that you didn't want to ruin your friendship. I mean you saw the potential in her long before she became America's Rock Star."  
  
"Nope, not gonna happen."  
  
"For someone who takes more risks than anyone I've ever known, I don't understand how you can just walk away from this," Ethan said with frustration. "Pretending it isn't true doesn't magically make it untrue."  
  
Long familiar with the argument, Conner replied, "But it does make it easier to focus on the friendship so I don't focus on how good she smells or how pretty she looks. Besides, it's not like Kira has ever expressed any interest in me. She only falls for those artsy types like Trent and that one lead guitarist."  
  
"How is she supposed to know that you're available romantically when you've gone to great lengths to prove that you don't want a real relationship? And her relationships are farces anyway because Trent broke more than her heart – he broke her trust. She's built this wall around her heart, expecting every relationship to fail, and they do because she doesn't let anyone past that wall, thus fulfilling a self-defeating prophecy."  
  
"So what exactly would make me any different?" Conner inquired, impressed by Ethan's new analysis of their best friend.  
  
"Because she doesn't have the wall with us. She gave us her trust long ago, and we've never broken or even damaged it. You, me, Dr. O, Hayley, Kim – we see the real Kira because she knows that she doesn't have to be anyone but herself. Especially you and I, Conner – we've seen her at her best and worst, know all of her secrets and we've never walked away. You have an advantage because you're her best friend, and she knows she can trust you." Ethan's voice was steady as he cited the facts.  
  
Conner shook his head. "I won't do it, Ethan. It's not worth the risk."  
  
"What risk? The risk that results in rejection and a blow to your pride or the risk that you might actually set something good in motion? What are you going to tell her when she starts asking questions about your latest dates?" Ethan asked rapidly.  
  
"I'm going to tell her the usual. I'm too busy with soccer right now. It is the actual truth, you know. The World Cup is six months away, and we're the best hope the U.S. has plus there's a good chance that I won't be here in four years. This is my last chance to really make a mark on history."  
  
"You've always managed to play soccer and date even when you were training for the Olympics. In fact, the only time I've ever seen you walk away from dating was when we were saving the world on a weekly basis."  
  
"It was too hard to do both. Didn't you prove that with Cassidy?" Conner pointed out cheerfully, happy to have a comeback to this particular argument.  
  
Ethan looked annoyed by his reasoning. "Dude, you didn't even try because you were too busy falling in love with our mutual best friend."  
  
"Don't start," he warned, having heard some variation of the topic for the last ten years.  
  
"You've wasted a hundred chances over the years. I don't think you should blow this one, Conner. Neither of you has actually dated in the last six months. Obviously, she's not having any luck either," Ethan said persuasively.  
  
"Wait a minute – she hasn't been dating either?" he echoed with keen interest.  
  
"Of course not. Between the tour and the fishbowl existence, she's too tired and reluctant to pull some innocent bystander into the paparazzi limelight. You should understand that. Isn't that why you stick to models and actresses?"  
  
"Actresses have always been your department." Conner paused, thinking about Ethan's information and advice. "But it doesn't really change anything, Ethan. There's still consequences to consider because once I said anything, I couldn't take it back."  
  
"Now you just sound like you're trying to convince yourself. Look, all I'm saying is don't underestimate Kira – she's probably more open than you think. If you don't put any pressure on her and present it as fact, I don't think she would freak out."  
  
"No, Ethan, I can't," Conner stated with finality. He glanced at his watch. "I should go. I've got practice in nine hours and I need sleep."  
  
"Okay. Just promise me you'll think . . ."  
  
"Good night," he said, pressing end in the middle of Ethan's sentence. Vowing that Kira would never know his hidden feelings, he swore that he would focus on the friendship because he could never imagine anything changing between them.


	3. Connecting Again

**Title: Where Your Road Leads**  
  
_Author: Sarafu  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me.  
  
Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?  
  
Dedication: To my PR friends on LJ because I'm constantly amazed by you and your talents in particular the icon makers. And to raging kissage that proves passion can be far more compelling than loyalty and guilt._  
  
**Chapter 2: Connecting Again**  
  
January 2014  
  
Conner chose a discreet restaurant tucked away in a quiet corner of Boston, a hidden gem that catered to business lunches and private parties. Keeping their lunch clandestine seemed essential to both parties as neither wanted the undue attention of tabloids for a mere meal between old friends. The spotlight on Conner had dimmed considerably since the Olympics, and Kira desperately wanted an afternoon of normalcy.  
  
The athlete arrived early, dressed in black slacks and a red cashmere sweater that hugged his body snugly. Shrugging off the black trench coat, he folded it over his arm and brushed the snow out of his hair. "Good afternoon, Conner," the host greeted with familiarity, used to the soccer star appearing without warning.  
  
"Hey, Matt, how was your daughter's dance recital?" Conner was truly interested in the answer to the question since he had met Sam several times since he had moved to Massachusetts.  
  
"It was beautiful – she was the star," he said, pride radiating from his smile.  
  
"I'm sure she was. She's pretty graceful on the soccer field."  
  
"Your usual table?"  
  
"Nah, I have a friend joining me today. I was hoping to get one of the corner tables, you know, one of the less visible tables."  
  
Startled by the request, Matt tried to hide his astonishment as he examined the pro athlete. A frequent visitor, Conner never lacked confidence or presence, but there was something almost nervous in the way he fiddled with the chain around his neck. "We can definitely find something private for you and your guest," he answered, wondering who could discombobulate the self-assured young man. He led Conner to a quiet table away from the lunch crowd and left him contemplating a glass of water.  
  
Matt's curiosity was appeased a few minutes later when a burly fellow stepped through the doorway, glanced around keenly, and moved aside to let a petite woman into the foyer. She wore black jeans and a yellow coat that she slid off to reveal a dark gold blouse. Wavy blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, emphasizing her bright hazel eyes and her cheeks pink with cold and excitement. No father of a twelve-year-old daughter would fail to recognize the music idol in front of him so Matt bravely asked, "May I help you, Miss Ford?"  
  
Her eyes widened briefly, but she accepted the name without comment. "I'm meeting a friend here," she said warmly. "He's probably already here. Conner McKnight?"  
  
"Sure, he's seated at a table for two, but we can change that," Matt replied, eyeing her companion.  
  
With a soft laugh, she shook her head. "It's okay. All Jorge needs is a table where I'm in his line of sight."  
  
"Well, Mr. McKnight is right back this way," Matt said, escorting her to a darkened corner shrouded in privacy.  
  
Conner stood as they approached and smiled boyishly at the woman. "Kira," he said before his arms were full of his best friend who squeezed him tightly. The embrace lasted for several seconds.  
  
As they separated, Kira beamed at Conner. "You look great."  
  
"Isn't that my line?" he said, surveying her with appreciation. "Only I would have said you looked gorgeous."  
  
She chuckled affectionately. "No, you would have told me that I look like a real woman or something equally lame. I know you, Conner, remember? You're not that smooth."  
  
"Maybe when I was seventeen," he protested.  
  
"Which is why the media still loves your inability to be tactful." Her smile lessened the sting of the insult.  
  
"Whatever. My point is that you look beautiful," Conner answered and pulled out her chair.  
  
"And you've learned some manners."  
  
"I've always had them – I just never saw any reason to use them around you," he said flippantly.  
  
"May I offer you something to drink?" Matt offered, intervening evenly. He correctly suspected that the banter would continue if left unchecked. It was apparent that Conner and Kira were old friends who clearly adored each other. Their menus remained untouched in front of them.  
  
"Lemonade, please. Conner keeps raving about it."  
  
"I just want strawberry lemonade, Matt."  
  
"I'll bring that right out to you, and I'll seat your companion right over there if you like, Miss Ford." Matt gestured to a nearby table.  
  
"Perfect," she murmured sweetly.  
  
As the host turned away to seat the man, he heard Conner ask, "Who's the Hulk?" and for a moment, Matt wondered if it was jealousy he actually heard in his voice.  
  
"That's Jorge," she said in a factual tone as she picked up the menu.  
  
Forcing himself to relax, Conner used the most casual voice he could muster. "And who is Jorge in the grand scheme of things?"  
  
"Security detail. My label and my manager both insisted on hiring him. Apparently, I'm too invaluable to risk my safety." Her tone contained annoyance as she glanced at the man who was the bane of her existence.  
  
"Good," Conner muttered a bit too emphatically. She gave him an astounded look. "You are too invaluable to risk."  
  
"You sound like Ethan. I think it's silly. One or two letters is nothing – it's not like I have people camped outside my house, trying to abduct me or anything. And you know better than anyone that I can take care of myself."  
  
He winced in remembrance, but he added, "No kidding, Kira. Still, the crazies do seem to come out of the woodwork when it comes to celebrities, and like it or not, you are a celebrity now. There's nothing wrong with being careful."  
  
Ignoring his words of caution, she smiled with a memory. "I had forgotten about the girl who broke into your hotel room wearing only a red ribbon because she wanted to give herself to you."  
  
"I'm glad someone still finds that funny," he said with a grin. "It freaked me out, and I triple-locked my doors for a long time after that."  
  
"But as I recall, the girl was way more freaked to find what's-her-name in your bed."  
  
"That was Gina."  
  
"Oh, right – the girl you were going to marry without ever introducing her to us."  
  
"There was never any truth to that story particularly the looking at engagement rings crap. It was blown way out of proportion. I've told you this before, Kira."  
  
"You never did come clean about why you were in a jewelry store in the first place." Kira tilted her head and gave him a direct stare.  
  
"Do you remember what I gave you for Christmas that year?"  
  
"Of course." She pulled out a small gold locket from under her blouse. A dinosaur footprint was carefully etched into the gold, each toe containing a gem, a yellow topaz, a red ruby, and a blue sapphire. Inside the locket, a photo booth snapshot of Kira, Ethan, and Conner rested securely. "It's practically the only piece of jewelry that I own."  
  
"I had gone to check out the design, and I didn't even know the photographer was tracking me until I saw the photo," he explained quietly. "You know my policy about jewelry and the women I date, Kira."  
  
"Oh," she murmured, aware that he never bought jewelry for his girlfriends as she tucked the locket away. In fact aside from the locket, she was certain that his mother was the only female who had received any sort of jewelry. She glanced at the menu in her hand. "How's the ravioli alfredo here?"  
  
"It's excellent," Matt answered, placing the lemonade on the table with a smile.  
  
Relieved, Conner agreed with a merry laugh. "It's one of my favorites."  
  
"I'll have that then," Kira said, handing the menu to Matt. Conner quickly ordered a steak, and the pair was alone once more.  
  
The athlete glanced at Jorge who was warily surveying the room. "He must be fun to travel with."  
  
"He's pretty quiet which is a nice change from the people around me who spend all their time talking at me." She smirked. "He's very devoted to his family so being so far away is difficult for him."  
  
"I can understand that." He looked at Kira, clearly conveying his own feelings about his family including her being across the country.  
  
She touched his hand with empathy. No matter how long they had been apart, the trio could never quite forget about the distance that separated them and wish that it did not exist. And even though Ethan lived nearby again, there was never a possibility that he could fill the hole that the dynamic young man left. "Do you have any plans after the World Cup this year?" she said softly.  
  
"Not really. I'm still contracted to the MetroStars for the rest of the year, but they could trade me at any time if they wanted."  
  
"They won't," Kira said forcefully.  
  
"And how do you know?" He looked amused at her categorical denial.  
  
"Because no one's going to let the leader who won the first World Cup for the U.S. go. Even if he is old and decrepit."  
  
"You're nearly as old as I am, Kira Ford. If I'm old and decrepit, then you should start sprouting gray hair any time now."  
  
Matt returned with their dishes, but they barely paid attention to him as Kira said, "It's not polite to talk about my age, and I'm not the one getting ready to turn 28."  
  
"Not for like three more months, and I'll talk about your age all I want. Wasn't I the one who taught you how to drive and took you to the DMV so you could pass your test? Hell, I've seen your DMV picture," he challenged.  
  
"Don't even go there. You promised you'd never talk about that," she said before her eyes filled with mischief. "But speaking of age, Kylee just divorced her third husband so I think she's on the market again."  
  
Horrified, Conner shook his head fiercely. "You still talk to her?" he choked out.  
  
"Sometimes. L.A. is a small town for musicians, and there are always award ceremonies, too. I know she was only married for about two minutes so I bet she wouldn't say no if you called her."  
  
"Are you really trying to set me up with Kylee Styles?"  
  
"Well, Ethan said you hadn't been dating recently."  
  
He tried not to blanch, forcing a light note into his words. "Funny, he said the same thing about you, but you don't see me trying to set you up with anyone."  
  
"Ethan needs to find a love life of his own," Kira said with a laugh.  
  
Here was a statement Conner could support with wholehearted agreement. "I keep expecting him to introduce us to some girl and announce that he's engaged."  
  
"I think Ethan's a little more discriminating than that."  
  
"C'mon, Kira, he dated Cassidy for like two weeks, remember?"  
  
"I seem to recall it being a little longer than that," she reminded him.  
  
"Whatever – it was Cassidy, and it should have been over after one date. Face it, he has like no taste in women."  
  
Kira erupted with a peal of laughter. "No taste," she repeated in between giggles.  
  
Fascinated, Conner watched her with bemusement. Who knew Kira could actually giggle? "It's not that funny," he said as her mirth started to die.  
  
Her eyes glowed with amusement as she contradicted him. "Oh no, it really is that funny. You have like no standards and would date any girl, but you think Ethan has no taste. Pot, meet kettle."  
  
He looked indignant at her barb. "Hey, I have standards."  
  
"Sure, the girl just has to be beautiful and look good on your arm. Never mind that she might not have a personality. At least, Ethan's girlfriends are intelligent enough to have conversations that don't revolve around make-up and fashion."  
  
He glared at her with angry brown eyes, but he kept his voice carefully controlled. "Do you really think that, Kira, that I could be that shallow?"  
  
She could handle the anger, but the hurt she heard in his words was something new especially because it was such a harmless comment. They had traded hundreds of taunts and insults over the years, and this was no different than anything Ethan might have said to him. Her amusement vanished as she sobered instantly and tried to frame a response. "Of course I don't think you're that shallow, Conner. This is me – I've known you for far too long to even entertain that thought."  
  
"But you think that I date chicks, excuse me, women for the sole reason that they're beautiful," he said.  
  
Helplessly, she stared at his intense expression. "Well, you do seem to date uncommonly beautiful women, Conner, but you never seem to develop anything deeper with them. I know the magazines are all convinced that some girl broke your heart a long time ago, but there's never even been anyone you could have fallen in love with. You seem to be completely resistant to the idea of a relationship."  
  
"Thank you, Dr. Phil," he muttered. "Did it ever occur to you that I might be dating so many women because I am looking for someone that I could connect on that level with? I know what I want, Kira – I just . . . I just haven't found her yet. And being a soccer player who travels all year long doesn't help any."  
  
Her eyes softened at his confession. "I know what you mean. Being on the road all the time – there's just never a chance to form any sort of real romance. I love the rock star gig – it has perks I never dreamed of, but it's such a lonely lifestyle. I hardly ever get to see you, and I missed Alexa's birthday party because I was touring in New Zealand. I can't even imagine trying to having a relationship right now."  
  
"I feel the same way. It seems like I've always played to make the U.S. National Team and now that I'm here, I don't want to do anything to mess it up. Besides, how many interesting women do you meet on a soccer field nowadays?"  
  
"I'm sure you meet plenty," she said. "All I ever seem to meet anymore are musicians or rabid fans, neither of which are very appealing. But it's all so much fun still – I guess that's the important thing. Despite the tiring concerts and the snafus that occur almost daily, I'm still enjoying myself."  
  
"What do you have planned after your tour's done?" he asked with interest.  
  
"My label want another album by the end of the year as crazy as it may sound. Other people can go six years without making a new album, but apparently, I have to release one every eight months or so," Kira complained without sounding too upset.  
  
"You love it – I know you do. And you probably have six CDs worth of music saved up from the early years."  
  
She grinned at him – Conner had always known her best when it came to her music. "You're right, but I'm going to make an effort to write some new songs. I'm in a very different place than I was six years ago."  
  
"I always knew you'd make it," Conner said fondly. "Even when you were sure you were going to wait tables for the rest of your life. Did you know that I was happier about your record contract than my gold medal?"  
  
"I don't believe that," she said lightly.  
  
"No, it's true. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy, Kira, and I knew that you were talented enough to achieve your dream. Getting off that plane to the roaring crowds, crowds that weren't screaming my name for once – that was wonderful." He leaned across the table and brushed an errant strand of hair from her face.  
  
Kira sucked in a silent breath – his eyes held something she had never seen from him, a depth of feeling that she had only seen once before in another's eyes. Strange was the first word to pop into her head because Conner wore his emotions on his face, not just in his eyes. He did not know how to hide his feelings whether it was joy or sorrow or anger, but the distinctly intimate gesture of brushing her hair out of her face combined with the look in his eyes seemed to indicate that he had another hidden layer.  
  
For one brief electric moment, Conner looked liked he was about to say something important, but the emotion in his eyes disappeared, replaced by his usual smile. "Sorry about that. Your hair looked like it was about to land in your alfredo sauce, and nothing should spoil the sauce. It's too good to waste."  
  
"For an athlete, you're way too obsessed with food." They both laughed, feeling the awkward tension in the air dissipate with a return to the familiar argument.  
  
"I'm not that obsessed with food," he said, but it was an empty statement because she was perfectly aware of how much he could eat. "I just think it's stupid to let good food go to waste."  
  
"Conner, you wouldn't let any sort of food go to waste. You'd probably drink expired milk if it didn't smell bad." His expression told her more than she ever wanted to know. "Eww, I so did not need to know that." She pushed her nearly empty plate away with disgust.  
  
A human compactor, Conner picked up her plate and covered his own empty plate with it. He proceeded to finish her lunch without a second thought. "That's delicious."  
  
"Some things never change," she said with a laugh. "I always could count on you to finish my meal."  
  
"Well, there wasn't enough to take home with you," he argued.  
  
Matt approached long enough to drop off the check and ascertain that Conner did want a piece of cheesecake though Kira said no to any dessert. "This has been a really great lunch, Conner. We shouldn't let three months happen between visits or phone calls or whatever."  
  
"You should come see the World Cup final match," he invited. "It's not until the end of June, and your tour ends in what, April?"  
  
"Maybe I can. Have you invited Ethan and the others?"  
  
"Ethan, yes, the others, not really. Dr. O and Kim think Ben's still too young to be flying on an airplane, and I have no idea what Hayley might have planned." His words were thoughtful as he answered her inquiry.  
  
"What about Trent?"  
  
"Why would I invite him?" Ice filled his tone and matched the disdain on his face.  
  
"Because he's your friend?"  
  
"Kira, he hasn't been my friend for a very long time. I respect your decision to remain his friend, and I can handle Ethan's acquaintance with him," he stated in a very unconvincing tone. "And I know that Dr. O and Hayley haven't let past events interfere, but I'm not that sort of person."  
  
"Conner! That was years ago," she said, scandalized by his candid words.  
  
"And yet I was the one who picked up the broken pieces of your heart and watched you try to get over his betrayal for how long? We're civil with each other, and I don't expect that to change any time soon," he admitted honestly.  
  
"He made a mistake."  
  
"Kira, betrayal runs deeper than that. We both know what exactly he's done in the past. Don't ask me to be his friend because you won't like my answer. Can't we just disagree on this point?"  
  
"Fine," she said unhappily. His feelings had always been crystal clear about Trent, and his betrayal of Kira had proven his point that the ex-White Ranger was untrustworthy as far as he was concerned.  
  
Jorge suddenly stood nearby. "Kira, it's time to go. Your manager wants you back in time for sound check."  
  
He rose to help her out of her chair, but the bodyguard was already there. "Thanks, Conner," she said anyway. "You're coming tonight still, right?"  
  
"I wouldn't miss it for the world." There was honesty in his statement as he beamed at her.  
  
Any residual sadness fled with his smile, and she hugged him again, reveling in the warmth of his arms, the strength of his body, the softness of his sweater, even the rapid beat of his heart under her head. Confused by the racing heartbeat, she closely examined his tender eyes, but there was no sign of any deeper emotion than friendship. "You should come early and hang out with me before the show," she said.  
  
"If I won't get in your way . . ."  
  
"Don't be silly. Come around 5:30. Jorge will let you in at the stage door."  
  
"Okay." He helped her into her coat with the same manners she had teased him about earlier. "I'll see you later."  
  
As she walked away, Matt brought his cheesecake to the table. "Miss Ford is very pretty," he ventured the comment to the man staring after her.  
  
"She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he said in a contrary tone.  
  
"How long have you known her?"  
  
"Ten years. She's been my best friend for almost as long." Now his tone was measured as if he was gauging Matt's ability to keep a secret.  
  
"I hope you'll pardon my interference, Conner, but people don't usually look at their best friends like that."  
  
"Well, that's why I don't look at her with anything but friendship, Matt. Can I get this to go instead? I have a concert to get ready for."  
  
As the dark-haired young man rushed out into the snow, Matt watched him go with a tiny shake of his head. Denial was never pretty, not even on a soccer star with a pin-up calendar. 


	4. Making the Pieces Fit

**Title: Where Your Road Leads**

_Author: Sarafu_

_Rating: PG-13_

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me._

_Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?_

_Dedication: To Casey with best wishes for a good school year, a good experience, and especially much fic writing. An inspiration and the best thing that happened to me this summer, you amuse me, amaze me, and teach me so much. And the challenges to push myself are something that I appreciate more than I can say._

**Chapter 3: Making the Pieces Fit**

January 2014

Conner pulled up to the private arena parking lot where several trucks and a tour bus were already parked and chose a spot far away from the other vehicles. As he locked the red Mustang, a voice behind him remarked, "Nice car."

"Thanks." He swung around to find a muscular young man looking at the car with evident admiration.

"So was there something I could help you with?" He wore a tag that named him as crew, but his eyes were wary as he asked the question.

"Where's the stage door? I'm supposed to talk to Jorge or so Kira mentioned at lunch today."

The cloudiness cleared from his expression as the roadie smiled with welcome. "You must be Conner McKnight. Kira said you were coming tonight. I'm Luke, her equipment manager."

"Nice to meet you," Conner said, shaking the proffered hand. "I know how attached she is to her equipment so I don't envy you the job at all. In fact, Ethan and I were practically her first crewmembers."

"We get along fine because I'm a perfectionist when it comes to her equipment. She trusts me with everything but her guitar."

Conner chuckled knowingly. "She doesn't trust anyone with her baby. She's yelled at me more times than I can count."

"I've been there." After sharing commiserating looks, Luke gestured toward a nearby ramp. "Stage door's up that way."

At the top of the ramp, Conner found a guy who was definitely not Jorge guarding the door. "Name and identification!" he barked at the athlete, barely pausing in his discussion with his headset.

Startled, he fumbled for his wallet. "Conner McKnight."

"I still need to see your ID. Got too many people trying to sneak through this way." Conner handed him the driver's license, and the man inspected him from head to toe before he was satisfied. He made a note on the clipboard and handed over a cord that identified him as a guest. "Put this one and don't take it off – security will toss you out faster than you can try to invoke Kira's name. Stay out of the way of the crew as much as possible and find David Lancaster. He can direct you to Kira." He opened the door, and as Conner passed through it, he heard a newly pleasant voice say, "Enjoy the show."

With a shake of his head, Conner walked into a bright room bustling with activity. A dozen different people were using phones, carrying equipment, and examining costumes. Like any outsider, he gaped at the spectacle – he still remembered a time when all Kira needed was her guitar and her voice.

"Hello, Mr. McKnight, I don't know if you remember me."

Conner turned to find David standing stiffly next to him. He sized up the young man, finding him to be somewhat average in the scheme of things and breathed a sigh of relief. This person was no threat to his friendship with Kira, and he gave his charming smile, the one he usually reserved for press interviews and unhappy girlfriends. "Yeah, I do. We just talked last week. You're David, the person who takes such good care of Kira. I want to apologize for the phone call. It was a horrible thing to do to you, and both Kira and Ethan reamed me out for it."

"They both reamed you out?" he questioned with suspicious eyes. He retained the image of Conner's arrogance and the terrible feeling of stupidity that washed over him when he heard Kira's recognition of her best friend. And the cool reminder of his own unprofessional eavesdropping still weighed heavily on his mind though Kira had accepted his apology cheerfully. In fact, he had rarely seen her so happy as she had been since Conner's call and suggestion of lunch. Even now hours after the lunch, she beamed a glorious thousand-watt smile. Not even the news that the concert was oversold affected her marvelous mood.

Conner's smile faded in the wake of his doubt. "Of course they did. With two people like them in your corner, you're very lucky. Trust me on that – they'd defend you with their lives. And they're very good judges of character. Now, are you going to accept my apology or not? It would be much easier than having you stare at me like I'm going to steal your girlfriend and shoot your dog."

David relaxed when he heard the impatient sincerity in the soccer player's voice. It seemed more valid than the carefully worded apology and smile no matter how charismatic. "All right, it seems like a good idea to start over, Mr. McKnight."

"My name is Conner to anyone who puts up with Kira so well."

David wanted to bristle at the insult, but the blatant affection of Conner's tone overrode the strong desire to defend his boss. "If you called him the Sexiest Man on the Planet like Cosmopolitan did, he'd probably even let you call him . . ."

"Kira!" he warned as his face lit up at the sight of her walking in their direction. Her short yellow skirt swirled around her legs, but he only had eyes for her lovely grin and excited eyes.

David stepped back and silently studied the pair who hugged for a long moment. Mutual adoration and respect oozed out of their expressions, and Conner kept a casual arm across Kira's shoulders after the embrace. Whatever might be said about either celebrity, it was clear that they valued each other very much, the same depth of emotion that David saw between Kira and Ethan often. In fact from the way Conner spoke of Ethan, he would bet that they shared the same sort of bond, and David wondered why more people hadn't noticed the link that seemed to be almost more than friendship.

Kira noted his puzzled expression as he tried to work out the mystery. "What's up, David? You look serious. Another problem with the dancers?"

"No, nothing like that." David shifted uncomfortably under her discerning gaze. "I was just thinking that people underestimate the friendship between you guys."

"Yeah, we've always been more like minor footnotes in each other's stories," Conner answered easily. He did not appear to be too concerned with the issue.

"It's because we're never together in public and rarely together in private," Kira added. "It's been like a year and a half since the three of us were in the same room together."

"That can't be right. Has it really been that long?" Conner's amazement seeped into his tone and his expression.

"Yeah, I think it was right after the Olympics before I set off on that first insane tour." Kira turned back to David and said, "No one really has the true story about Conner, Ethan, and I. They have bits and pieces that they've figured out from talking to people we went to school with and from things that we've let slip during interviews. But mostly, they've been so focused on the messy relationship I had with Trent Fernandez that they sort of missed the fact that Conner and Ethan immediately flew to my side when it ended. They saved me quite a bit during that time."

Embarrassed, Conner negated her sentiment with a shake of his head. "You would have done the exact same thing if either of our hearts were broken and kicked the offending party's ass in the process. Not that you gave me the chance to do the same with Trent."

"You've always been too protective of me," she argued. "Besides, Trent was a friend long before he was ever my boyfriend."

"To you maybe, but rarely to Ethan and never to me. And the protectiveness was because I – we love you, Kira," he said heatedly, trying to cover his own accidental slip-up.

Kira let the comment pass, but she filed it away with his oddly tender expression and rushing heartbeat at lunch. Now more than ever, she was convinced that something was up, but there were pieces missing from the puzzle. She glanced at David. "Will you make sure to warn me when it's almost time to start? Conner and I are gonna hang out in my dressing room."

"Always, Kira. It was good to meet you, Conner. Have fun," David replied before he returned to the insanity that surrounded his temporary base of operations.

"Come on, it's back this way, Conner," Kira said, dragging him toward her quiet sanctuary. Determined to solve the mystery of his feelings, she decided to poke and prod until he told her exactly what was going through his head. With the single exception of Power Rangerhood, he was lousy at keeping secrets, a fact that Kira knew she could exploit to her advantage.

"Nice digs," Conner whistled as she shut the door behind him. Too busy surveying the posh surroundings, he missed the click of the lock.

"Once you've seen one dressing room, you've seen them all," she said dismissively.

"Ooh, a fruit basket." He flopped on the couch and started picking grapes from a bunch. "You'd think they would treat us this way when we scrimmage. After all, we're representing the U.S. team."

"You've always expected special treatment," Kira said with a laugh, tossing a nearby towel at his head.

He caught it easily and smirked. "I'm an Olympic gold medalist, one of the best soccer players on the planet, and as you so eloquently pointed out, one of the Sexiest Men on the Planet. Why shouldn't I expect special treatment?"

Kira perched on her chair and tilted her head, watching Conner with somber eyes. "Tell me the truth, Conner – why haven't you ever tried to date someone seriously?"

The sudden shift in conversation was unwelcome to her best friend, and he tried not to let his annoyance show as he replied calmly, "I thought we settled this at lunch, Kira. I haven't met anyone I'd care to have a serious relationship with. I've met perfectly nice women in my quest to date the planet, but they didn't do what I'd need them to do."

"What would you need them to do?" Kira asked.

_Make me forget about you_, he thought. "Make me feel something besides indifference," he said. "They were nice women, but they weren't balanced enough for me. Either they wanted all the trappings of marriage immediately or they wanted an affair. The whole concept of friendship was beyond them, and that would be the first sign that a relationship could be serious for me."

"But you'd tell me if you met someone, right?" she persisted.

Moving uncomfortably, Conner focused his whole attention on the fruit basket sitting in front of him. "Probably if I thought it was significant enough."

"Even if you thought I wouldn't be happy with your choice?" Her voice was quiet.

"I'd like to think that if I did find someone special, you would like her or at least tolerate her the way I tolerated your psychopathic ex-boyfriend," he answered defiantly, finally meeting her eyes and revealing his own disturbed feelings.

Kira stood with a frown. "Trent isn't the issue here."

"What is the point of this little interrogation then?"

"I'm just trying to understand why you can't find a girlfriend who lasts longer than a couple of months. I mean I've known you for ten years, and you're still a mystery to me."

"Practice your amateur psychology on someone else, please." He was beginning to sound upset.

With a thoughtful smile at him, she ignored his comment. "When you're attracted to someone, you always tell her, right?"

"Usually," he bit out with resignation.

"When don't you tell her?" Kira asked curiously.

"If she's involved with someone else or I think she's going to complicate my life unnecessarily." His flat tone warned her that she was treading on thin ice, but she continued, secure in the knowledge of ten years of friendship.

"What does that mean? Who would complicate your life unnecessarily?"

"Anyone who tried to pry too deep into the past because we've got secrets to protect that are more important than romance. Women who are clingy and jealous and women you or Ethan or Tommy or Hayley or Kim would object to."

"What about friends?"

"What about them?" The dangerous glint in his eye had increased with her question.

"Even though that's what you want, do they complicate life unnecessarily? If you liked Cassidy or Ethan? Would you tell them?"

"Damn, Kira." Conner stood with an explosion of anger and began to pace the small room. "I don't even know how to answer that question. I mean Cassidy was always far too nosy besides being Ethan's high school romance. And Ethan?"

"Well, you did tango with him rather well," she said lightly. "But Conner there are always rumors flying about your sexuality, and it's not just in the tabloids either. I figured it was a valid question."

"If you haven't figured that I'm straight by now, Kira, I think you need to have someone explain the birds and the bees to you again," Conner muttered but he seemed to be cooling down with her logical explanation. "I promise you I have no romantic interest in Ethan, but if I did, would I tell him? Maybe."

"And me? Would you tell me if you were interested in me?" Kira asked the question while he was facing her so she could see his dark eyes.

There was a flash of something unknown in them before he turned away. "Probably not," he stated with absolute certainty.

"Why not? What makes me so different from telling Ethan? I'm your friend, too."

"Kira, you have about fifteen minutes before show time," David called through the door.

Conner turned back to her with relief on his face. "Good. Can we consider this topic closed forever please?"

She wanted to press the point, but she suspected that he would rather be locked in a room with Trent than be forced to explain why he wouldn't tell her of an attraction. "For now," Kira said softly.

He smiled at her with the sweetest look she had ever seen on his face. In the midst of processing what the look might mean, Kira realized that her heart had started pounding a little more, and the feeling intensified when he came up and hugged her again. "I'm so glad you're here today, Kira."

It was strange but comforting to notice the way his arms fit perfectly around her body, the way he smelled like nature, and the way he held her a little longer than necessary. "I know, Conner, me, too. David can totally show you where to stand," she said.

Once David had led him to his spot near the backstage curtain, he returned to report to Kira. Lost in thought, she barely realized that he was telling her something until he cleared his throat loudly. "Sorry, David. Just preoccupied," she said.

"It's okay. Um, if you don't mind my asking, Kira, did you and Conner ever date or anything?"

"No, definitely not," she said, scandalized even though she had asked Conner a similar question minutes earlier. "Why?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Because it seems like there's something going on between you, something similar to attraction or chemistry."

Flabbergasted by the thought, she stared at David with shock for a moment. Could that be what Conner was feeling? Was he attracted to her but unwilling to admit it? She remembered the perfectly clear way he had told her that he probably wouldn't say anything if he was attracted to her. "David, if you had been best friends with someone for ten years and developed an attraction to her later on, would you tell her?"

"No," David said firmly. "At that point, I wouldn't be ready to ruin a great friendship, but if she made the first move, I probably wouldn't say no either."

Kira made a quick decision that she hoped she wouldn't regret. "Okay, do me a favor and let Lance know that the final song before the encore is going to be acoustic instead of the normal version."

"Sure." David wondered what she was thinking about. "Look, I'm sorry if I was being too personal."

"Don't worry about it. You gave me a lot to think about," Kira answered and her smile seemed to be genuine though she looked a little worried.

As Kira approached the final song of the night, she kept careful tabs on Conner's expression, taking in the enjoyment and happiness that was reflected on his face. She even caught him mouthing the words along with her and hoped that he wasn't singing out loud because that could affect her feedback. Still, she felt the trepidation as she looked around at her fans and waited for them to stop screaming after her next-to-last song. "Thank you for having me here tonight. Boston is a beautiful town," she said familiarly. "And it's dearer to my heart now because Boston has adopted one of my best friends in the world. I don't know how many of you actually know that the U.S. National Men's Soccer Team practices right on your doorstep, but I'm pleased to have him with me tonight." She faced in his direction off stage. "Come on out here, Conner McKnight, my fans want to meet you."

Underneath the noise of screaming girls, he whispered loudly, "What are you doing, Kira?"

"Honoring my best friend," she said flippantly. She spoke into the microphone again. "I know most of you are aware of our friendship - we've been best friends for ten years and I've been saving this last song for him because he was there when I first started working on it. In fact, he was there the first time I performed it in public, but since he first heard me accompanied by one guitar, I think tonight this will be the acoustic version." As the familiar strains of her signature song broke across the excited crowd, they hushed immediately and watched with fascination as she began to sing. Occasionally, she looked in his direction, but for the most part, she was focused on her audience, only peripherally aware of the man who watched her with an amazed expression.

As she neared the end of the song, she turned to Conner with a stunning smile and held her hand out to his. He reached for it as she glanced at him meaningfully. "I've got to know, know where you're at. I'm all alone, waiting for you to ask. Can you tell me where, tell me where you're at?" Her attention went back to ending the song, yet she kept her eyes trained in his direction, pinning them under her scrutiny. The house lights on the stage fell as she murmured one last "Freak you out."


	5. Risking It All On A Chance

**Title: Where Your Road Leads**

_Author: Sarafu_

_Rating: PG-13_

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me._

_Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?_

_Dedication: To BFE which has been an inspiration forever and to the loveliness that is Dino Thunder but mostly for love of James. This chapter never would have been if not for input from someone who assured me that I did have a way out of the corner – thanks, Casey, you saved me from too much craziness and gnashing of the teeth._

**Chapter 4: Risking It All On A Chance**

January 2014

Dazed, Conner stared at his best friend who dropped his hand immediately and whispered, "Come on, they're going to call for an encore."

He followed her into the wings, but she was too busy pulling a quick costume change to even look in his direction. As the cheers drew her back onto the stage, he suddenly clutched at her arm. "Kira . . ."

Flushing slightly under the soft lights, she nervously murmured, "Later, Conner, after this encore." She disappeared back into the darkness. Ever the consummate professional, she finished out the concert without a mistake or a single glance to where Conner watched with bewilderment.

He couldn't quite understand why she would make such an abrupt overture. Five hours before, she had treated him the way she always had like a trusted friend. But now she was asking him to tell her his true feelings, to open himself up, and he didn't know why which bugged him. Did she mean it? Was it a joke to trip him up after the earlier interrogation? He hated the helpless feeling, torn between his heart and his head, eternally conflicted when it came to Kira. His apprehension didn't end as Kira strode past him toward her dressing room.

When he arrived three steps behind her, she stopped him with a quick smile. "Let me change into real clothes, okay?" She shut the door in his face and breathed deeply. She hadn't had a chance to prepare herself for the warring feelings that she thought she glimpsed in his eyes. Kira wondered if he really only wanted to make fun of her for putting out something that was a bizarre mistake. He wasn't the most tactful person on the planet, and Conner could be downright harsh when he told the truth. After she finally regained some semblance of peace, she moved away from the door and pulled clothing from the garment bag hanging in the closet. Preoccupied with the problem at hand, she failed to notice that the old red and gold T-shirt certainly didn't match the jeans streaked with yellow.

"All right, Conner, you can come in," she called, turning away from the door. As she heard the door close quietly, she pulled open the mini-fridge and started babbling inanely. "Are you thirsty? I have water and apple juice and soda. I'm always parched after a concert, and I never feel like I can drink enough – oh!" She turned around to find Conner standing right behind her.

He pulled the water bottle from her limp grasp and unscrewed the cap easily, handing it back to her while his intense eyes bore into hers. "Can we talk about it now, Kira, or do you have somewhere else to be?" His voice was soft and almost neutral, a fact that he was proud of but kept to himself.

Yet while he was so thrilled to seem calm, Kira was seriously unnerved. Conner had never been one to sound unreasonable. He ought to be raging or laughing or at least acting like Conner, not watching her patiently as she fought through her own butterflies.

Conner was fighting an internal battle of his own, wondering if he had landed in some alternate universe because reality never felt so surreal. Kira's panic conveyed in her eyes made him instinctually realize that the very worst thing he could do was pressure her about any of this.

Locked in a silent staring contest, the pair seemed intent on waiting each other out until Kira asked, "Why wouldn't you tell me if you were attracted to me?"

"For lots of reasons, none of which matter at this second. I'm trying to understand that little stunt out there," Conner said roughly. "What was it, Kira? Was it a joke?"

"It could be," she said almost eagerly, but his face fell slightly and she regretted her quick words. "No, Conner, it wasn't a joke. It was . . . I don't know what it was. I was trying to figure out the answer to a question that David asked right before the show."

"Did it work?" he questioned.

"Not really," she said with disappointment.

"Glad I could help you with your experiment." There was controlled anger in his voice, and Kira looked at him with surprise.

"No, Conner . . . it's not what you think," Kira protested in vain.

"Would you really want to know if I was attracted to you?" Steely determination filled his eyes as he stared at her with certainty. This was a moment of truth – nothing was comprehensible than that fact in his mind.

"Of course I would."

He abruptly pressed his lips to hers. It seemed a shock to her system, the sudden kiss teasing the edge of her feelings, drawing out a long-hidden fragment of passion. Nothing like any kiss she had ever experienced, the pressure was angry, raw, impatient, and so very Conner. He poured intensity into the things he truly cared about, and it was evident from the second of initiation that he felt that same emotion about the gesture. Any hesitancy fled from Kira's mind as he gently grasped her upper arms and deepened the harsh kiss. But his lips no longer sought retribution – they settled for something infinitely sweeter and affectionate. Still astonished, Kira engaged in the passion with equal fervor, letting the tendrils of lust and the increasing feelings overcome the thoughts she was having. It was strange to be so aware of Conner – every inch of her body reacted to his smell, his touch, his taste, even the sound of his breath. Yet just as she let herself get caught in the sensations that seemed to overpower her common sense, she felt Conner yank himself away from her body and her mouth.

Kira felt oddly empty and alone as he stepped across the room and scrutinized his best friend. His eyes bore into hers with surprising steadiness. "Did that answer David's question better?" In spite of the calm in his expression, she heard the hitch in his voice as he asked the question, the one that betrayed his own conflicting emotions.

"Yes," she answered tentatively, touching her fingers to her lips with quiet wonder. Her heart and adrenaline were racing from the encounter, but her mind seemed absolutely clear.

"Good, I've been waiting to do that for ten years," he confessed, still staring at Kira.

"Ten years!" She was overwhelmed by contradictory emotions: horror, terror, fear, shock, anxiety, and a single sliver of joy. The declaration muddied her moment of clarity.

Conner gazed at her with defiance. "That's how long I've been attracted to you, Kira."

"Since senior year?" He shook his head negatively. "While we were Rangers?" When he nodded, she sounded upset. "Conner, how can you tell me this now? The one thing I've valued most about our friendship is your honesty, but you've been lying to me for most of our friendship. And it's not even a small lie," she protested angrily. "It's a huge lie – what else have you lied to me about in the course of our friendship?"

"Do you really doubt my friendship, Kira, even though I never said anything until tonight when you asked me if I was attracted to you? Why do you think I've never said anything? Your friendship is necessary – it's like breathing to me. I never wanted to risk it for this," he said with frustration, running a hand through his hair with distraction.

"For what?" she demanded, trying to ignore the way the familiar gesture melted the ice in her voice slightly.

"For rejection or whatever. Face it, Kira. What would you have said ten years ago? Five years ago? One year ago?" Smugly self-righteous, Conner continued to watch her as she came to terms with his words.

Ten years ago, Trent was the only person in her line of vision, the one she was working to save from himself. Five years ago, she felt like a failure and tried to cut herself off from all her friends even though they loved her and wanted to help her in any way they could. And the last year had been focused on her career – romance had never even crossed her mind. "So now you've told me the truth," she forced out dully. "What do you want?"

His face softened as it always did when it came to telling her something she didn't want to hear. "This is me putting my heart on the line, Kira. Laugh if you want to, rage if you need to, tell me to go to hell, kiss me first. It doesn't really matter anymore. You know my feelings now."

_Like equals on even ground_, she thought bitterly. Yet he was the one who had known, had harbored these feelings for ten years. And now he laid them on her lap like a proud child, convinced he had done something right to keep it a secret. She loved Conner, loved him the way she loved Ethan and Dr. O and even Trent. He had been her protector, her savior, her best friend, and now he was asking to be more. He was asking her to let him into her heart, and she knew Conner well enough to know that he wouldn't be satisfied with only part of her heart. He'd want it all, desire, trust, affection, love. Her eyes felt damp as she glanced away from him. "I don't know what to say, Conner. I never had a thought that you might feel anything but friendship toward me," she said helplessly.

"You weren't ever supposed to know about my feelings, Kira. I never wanted to tell you."

"But you did tonight."

"Because you kept pushing the subject, Kira. You started in at lunch about how I needed a girlfriend and wanted to know why I hadn't ever had a serious relationship. And you just kept going before the show, trying to pin down my feelings about Ethan and Cassidy. Like I could ever look at Cassidy when you were right there with your unique individualism and glorious smile and a voice that seemed a gift from heaven. And you were brave and strong and perfectly content to be yourself. There was no woman that lived up to you. And then you gave me hope that you might feel the same way by asking me to tell you my feelings."

"It sounds like you're living with this ideal picture of me," Kira replied, pretending the warm glow in her stomach was from something other than his compliment.

He laughed hoarsely. "Don't be stupid, Kira. I know your faults as well as you do – the way you withdraw when you're uncomfortable or trying to be alone, the hell-bent way you rush into battle without thinking, the way you've walled yourself off and refused to trust anyone since Trent broke your heart. And you're too stubborn and sarcastic for your own good."

The glimpse into the woman he saw in her was a bit awesome to contemplate at the moment so she set it aside to give him a pained look. "I don't have those feelings for you, Conner. I love you like a friend, like the very dearest friend in the world, but I'm not in love with you and I don't even know if I'm attracted to you."

Her words contain a note of brutal honesty, but Conner waved them away. "You kissed me back, Kira. You didn't turn away, act disgusted, or throw a punch. You felt something, too."

And she couldn't deny it because he was apparently as aware of her body as she was of his during the kiss. "I haven't kissed anyone in months, Conner. It might just be my body's way of reacting to desire."

"You're going to blame hormones?" He sounded incredulous.

"No," she said honestly, focusing on his wounded eyes. "This is just a lot of stuff to drop on me. And I won't lie – I did feel something when you kissed me. But it doesn't change the fact that I don't know how I feel. Do you even know what you really want from me?"

Conner paused for a moment before he looked directly at her. "I want a relationship with you, but if I can't have that, I don't want our friendship to be changed by this."

With a shake of her head, she released a harsh giggle. "It's definitely not that simple. Everything has already changed, Conner, and we would spend so much time dancing around the topic that the friendship won't be worth saving. We need to address this now. But to have a real relationship . . . I don't know, Conner. I need to think about that." From his expression, she had the feeling that he would have rather had her reject him outright than ask for time to think about it. She plunged ahead. "I'm not saying no, Conner, I'm just not saying yes either. You're not exactly known for your commitment to relationships, and endangering our friendship isn't really high on my list of things to do before I turn 30. Just give me time," she asked softly, hoping that he could understand where she was coming from.

"Take all the time you need," he said carelessly, a blank expression sliding over his features.

She remembered what he had said about his heart, and she resisted the urge to offer comfort. "Thank you. It was good to see you." It was a bizarrely formal thing for her to say to Conner of all people, but he understood the unspoken request.

"I did enjoy lunch and the concert," the athlete replied almost as formally.

Kira walked up to him and put her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I do love you, Conner," she said anxiously.

He gazed down at the dark blonde head, feeling the sincere words chip away at the stone he felt when she asked for time. Love from Kira had always been a constant since he was 17 years old – to lose it on some spectacularly bad whim wouldn't destroy him, but it would decimate his spirit and possibly undo a lot of progress he had made over the years. "I know you do." His tone was frank and so was the glance he gave her as she drew away. "Good luck."

Conner turned to open the door, feeling like he had done everything in his power to argue his case. Whatever happened next would be up to Kira, a fact that frightened him immensely but also left him with an enormous sense of relief. The only secret he had ever kept from her was out in the open, and their friendship might be a bit battered by the revelation yet it had survived.

Perhaps Conner might have felt better to know that Kira was just as determined to save their friendship, but he wouldn't have been so sure that it would survive if he had seen his best friend curl up on the couch and cry silently about the decision which presently seemed insurmountable.


	6. When All is Said and Done

**Title: Where Your Road Leads**

_Author: Sarafu_

_Rating: PG-13_

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me._

_Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?_

_Dedication: Casey who makes cases for things that I can't deny and for kicking me in the head. Also because she stumped me enough with a drabble request that working on WYRL seemed like a better option._

_Author's Note: This is the chapter where the PG-13 rating rears its ugly head, and I'm seriously considering switching to an R rating very soon._

**Chapter 5: When All is Said and Done**

_January 2014_

When Conner's phone rang at seven a.m., the interruption of deep sleep made his mind and his body seriously unhappy. He scrambled to find the answer button on the phone monitor, but he managed to miss the bright red button for at least two rings thanks to the sleep still blinding his eyes. He grumbled with annoyance even as he handled the admirable feat of answering his phone. "Yeah?" he muttered grumpily, blinking rapidly to focus his eyes.

"I don't think I'll ever understand how you can drag yourself out of bed nearly every morning at the crack of dawn to put a ball into a goal over and over again yet still not be a morning person on days off." Ethan's voice contained laughter.

"That's why they call them days off, dude," Conner answered before he realized that Ethan sounded awfully perky for someone in an earlier time zone. "Why are you up? It's like four in the morning there right now."

"That's because I'm actually in London where it's the afternoon. I'm trying to buy this music software –"

"Yeah, okay, but why are you calling me now?" Conner said. "It's practically still dark out."

"Actually, I was hoping you could tell me. Kira called and left a message, asking me to contact you and see if there was any way for you to stop by her hotel before she leaves for New York." Ethan looked at Conner with curiosity. "Why didn't she call you? Unless she wanted to avoid your sunny morning personality for which I can't blame her at all."

"I was just wondering that myself," Conner griped irritably as he stretched out his tired limbs.

"She did mention something about being worried that you were screening your calls, and you wouldn't pick up for her. Though that's obviously not the case when it comes to early morning."

The athlete muttered a few uncomplimentary words about their mutual best friend, but mostly he was just focused on putting his pants on without having to start over. Not going to see Kira never even crossed his mind.

"You really aren't a morning person, are you?" Ethan asked with amusement, chuckling when Conner just grunted. "What happened last night, Conner?"

"Nothing." Conner did not even look in his direction as he searched out socks from his dresser and shoes from his floor.

"There's no way I'd buy that. You're both acting way too strange," Ethan declared. "Does your bad mood have anything to do with this?" He displayed a newspaper, but Conner ignored it.

"What is it?" he asked, more interested in his Nikes.

"The lead headline of the New York Times Arts and Entertainment section." Ethan cleared his throat. "_Female Rocker Woos Olympic Star_."

"What?" Conner stood stock-still and glanced at the paper Ethan was holding. Below the fold, there were pictures of them in separate publicity shots.

"Yeah. Did Kira really hold your hand and dedicate a song to you? Because that doesn't really sound like Kira . . . unless you finally got around to telling her that you're in love with her. But I don't see that happening because just last week, you were spouting gibberish about keeping it a secret and ruining your friendship." Ethan started to laugh at the improbable possibility until he noticed Conner's pained expression. "Wait a minute."

Conner yanked on his shirt. "It didn't exactly happen like that. Gotta go, Ethan."

And Ethan was staring at an empty room. "Well, well, it looks like the secret's out," he murmured to himself. "Good luck, bro." Knowing his best friends well, he suspected that whatever had happened was messy and still unresolved.

* * *

Across the city in her hotel's finest suite, Kira paced from one end of the spacious living room to the other. Asking Ethan to call Conner had been downright cowardly, but what she wanted to tell him had to be private and in person. The rest of the night hadn't been much better for her – Conner might have slept better for revealing a secret that had been buried in his soul, but Kira had hardly slept, going over the pros and cons over and over again, always coming to the same decision. From a hundred different angles, it seemed like there was only one thing she could say.

She jumped when the phone in her suite rang and went to answer it with trepidation. It was the front desk asking if Conner McKnight was allowed to come up to her room. She released a sigh of relief. "Yes, send him up . . . and could you hold all my calls for awhile?"

The few minutes between the phone call and the knock on her door seemed interminable. Kira had plenty of time to duck into the bathroom and ensure that she looked almost normal. After the rap, she took a deep breath and turned the doorknob with a small smile. "Good morning," she greeted.

"Hey, Kira," he said with appraising eyes. "You look fantastic."

With a nervous laugh, she invited him into the room. "I look like crap. I didn't sleep much."

"Oh." He looked worriedly at her. "You had Ethan call me to ask me to come here."

He always was the person who cut to the heart of the matter and skipped the formalities. There were days when she appreciated that most of all, but today was not one of them. "Let's sit down, Conner." He sat in the middle of the long couch, and she smashed herself into the corner, curling her legs up as a defense. "I asked Ethan to call you because I wanted to talk to you in person about what happened last night."

Conner's eyes, full of hope and acceptance and fear, turned to stare at her. "What happened last night?" he said softly, trying out the impersonal words with his tongue.

"It was a mistake, Conner. I should have said no from the start. It's a bad idea for any number of reasons not in the least of which is that we're best friends and to go beyond means risking something that I don't want to risk." Her words tumbled out quickly as if she was trying to hurt him the fastest way possible so he would go away and she could cry again.

"I see," he answered, and from his wounded expression, she knew that he did see what she was saying. "What reasons?"

"What?" Flabbergasted, she looked away. His logical question startled her. She expected him to rave and rant, to be angry, to demand she reconsider. The resignation in his tone was wreaking havoc on her peace of mind.

"You said that there are a number of reasons why it's a bad idea. I'm just trying to figure out what reasons you're using to justify this rejection." Conner's voice was cool.

"Isn't it enough that we would be risking this friendship?"

"Kira, if it didn't work out, I wouldn't walk away from you. And even if you did walk away from me, I would still be here when you were ready to return. Plus, I think you're counting on us failing which considering all we've done is kissed seems to be thinking negatively."

"Why wouldn't we fail, Conner? We're nothing alike – we share none of the same interests. We have different viewpoints on so many things. All we ever did when we were younger was clash. And we haven't changed, Conner," she argued.

He laughed and shook his head, refuting her words easily. "I've changed a lot, Kira, and so have you. We both know how to compromise. If nothing else, being Rangers taught us that much. And for interests, let me list a few common interests for you: Ethan, Tommy and Kim, Hayley, your music, each other. Plus there are the common experiences that we went through together in the last ten years. I may not completely comprehend the artistic temperament, but I think I understand it a little after knowing you for ten years. And you certainly know a lot about my soccer career and love life up until now. People have built relationships on a lot less and usually without the foundation of friendship."

"And what happens when you break my heart to go chasing after other women?" Her own voice was soft as she asked the question that really weighed on her mind.

Conner gaped at her, unsure whether he ought to be offended or whether he should just kiss sense back into her head. "Didn't you hear anything that I said to you yesterday, Kira? You're the only one that I've wanted for a long time. Do you really think I'd drop you as soon as I had you?"

"I think you haven't had a real relationship and have no concept of the idea of commitment."

"Oh Christ, you were at me all day yesterday about getting a girlfriend and trying out commitment, but now you're using that excuse?" Conner stood with an angry expression.

"I don't want to be your guinea pig, Conner." She joined him, nearly boiling over with her own resentment.

"But you wanted some other girl to be that even though it would have all ended badly because she would have fallen for me and I would have been hung up on you. Nice, Kira."

"How do you know? You never even gave anyone that chance!" she yelled, shocked to find herself feeling better after the outburst.

"Because you were the only one I could see giving that chance to. But you don't want it, Kira, that's fine. I'm glad you're able to justify it to yourself though. That's the important thing."

With purpose, she stalked over to a table and picked up a ball of paper before tossing it in his direction. "Here, Conner, you want a list of reasons?"

Catching the ball, he unfolded the sheet and glanced it over. "A pros and cons list, Kira? I would have expected this from Ethan, not you."

It was strange that the comment actually had the power to hurt her, but she pushed aside the hurt and plunged forward. "It doesn't matter, Conner. What matters is what that list proves."

He crumpled up the list and threw it toward the trashcan. "It's crap, Kira. Lists don't tell you anything. It doesn't tell you the way your heart beats a little faster when you think about kissing someone. It doesn't tell you about the figure that haunts my dreams and here's a hint, she's not Cassidy. It doesn't tell you why you have such a keen interest in my dating habits. And it certainly doesn't reflect what's in your heart."

"How do you know?" she challenged.

"Because what you listed says nothing about your heart, Kira. It didn't even say anything about mine. All it said was all the potential problems you saw. Ethan said you had a self-destructive streak when it came to relationships, but I didn't believe him until now. You're so quick to make sure your relationships fail."

Kira glared at him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't want to be happy, Kira, because happiness always means misery at the end to you. You expect misery so that's what you get. You never used to act like this, Kira. You used to want happiness and believe in everyone. Your optimism was refreshing – now all you can do is think about what can go wrong."

"I'm 27 years old, Conner. I've changed a lot just like you pointed out not five seconds ago."

"Why did you change though? You have the world at your feet, Kira. Platinum albums, number one songs, sold-out concerts. But you're still not happy, are you?"

"You know why I changed," she said defiantly, willing him to burst into flames on the spot.

"Yeah, Trent." His answer was joined by a mocking laugh. "Sometimes I think that killing him would be a kindness to all of us."

"Conner!"

"He took your faith and destroyed it, and the person you've been since then – it's not the same Kira. You are not the person who told me in high school that the love would outweigh the pain. Did you even think about you and I with your heart or did you let that flimsy list of reasons convince you?"

"My heart is not reliable," she said.

"Your heart is the only thing that matters, Kira. Don't you get that?" Conner stared at her with intense brown eyes. "Whether you like it or not, we have always been people who think with our hearts. To let your head overrule your heart is only doing wrong to both of us."

Her anger fled as his words sank in. She hated how sensible he could be. "There are other factors, Conner."

"Like this?" he said, pulling out the arts section of the newspaper and showing her the headline.

"Oh God, I hadn't even seen that."

"That explains why media attention wasn't even on your stupid little list. You didn't even mention the problems with having a long-distance relationship."

Her expression cleared. "See, you do understand, Conner. It would be difficult to pull off." She finally smiled, sure that he understood why it would never work.

"I'm afraid I still don't agree, Kira. The media attention is nothing new to either of us. We've both had our love lives picked over by the media. And the long-distance thing – it would just mean a lot of work, but neither of us has ever minded a little hard work. And for you, I would do anything even fly halfway across the country to meet you for lunch," he said directly.

Taken aback by his words, Kira tried to shake her head. "Think about how much effort it took for us to have lunch together, Conner. It would be worse to have a relationship. We are both on different schedules and in different zones."

"But you'll be done with your tour soon, and all I have are practices a few times a week from now until the World Cup tournament. It can be done, Kira." He sounded excited by the prospect.

But Kira was still completely against the idea of a relationship with Conner, and he was not going to be able to talk her out of that certainty. "I won't do it. I'm sorry, but the answer is still no, Conner. I don't have a reason that you'll listen to apparently, just no," she said softly, avoiding his eyes.

Conner was less concerned with her attempts to avoid his eyes as he walked right to Kira and placed his hands on her arms. "Then listen to this, Kira," he said and touched his lips to hers softly. The kiss was gentle compared to their previous one, but the passion of it seemed to make her head rush with sensation. His fingers tightened as if to stop her from moving away, but locked to his lips, Kira felt the impossibility of walking away. He expanded the kiss, his tongue wending its way into her unresisting mouth. The feelings that danced on the edge of her mind exploded into lust, and she was the one who turned hungry, almost predatory, matching his mouth and his tongue move for move and pushing the kiss a little farther. It was gloriously abandoned and wild and Kira tasted freedom in his kiss, freedom from expectation and self-defense, a chance to be who she really was. She moved her hand to his T-shirt, starting to tug at it eagerly.

Conner complied, pulling away to take off the shirt but pausing before he resumed the kiss. "What does your heart say now, Kira? Does it still say we shouldn't at least try? There's something huge between us, something that could have a lot of potential."

"But Conner . . ." she protested.

"No, forget the logistics of long-distance relationships and the media attention and how we might ruin our friendship. Just think about what you were thinking during that kiss. Did any of your previous objections apply? Because the attraction is there, and you do feel something – that much is clear," he answered dryly, glancing at his shirt on the floor.

Kira finally nodded. In the end, she wanted him badly enough that she was willing to try a relationship with him. His sincerity and conviction was far more compelling (as was his willingness to step back from something he clearly desired as much as she did) than any of her doubts, and in the end, she trusted him more than anyone else on the planet. Conner beamed at her, a smile that she did not think she had ever seen on his face, one so full of joy and optimism that it almost hurt to look at him. "I just don't know how we'll work this out, Conner."

"We will," he murmured quietly and started to kiss her again. Within moments, more clothes followed the T-shirt onto the floor and the pair headed into the plush bedroom for a little more privacy.

An hour later, Kira and Conner cuddled in bed, happily satisfied. "Conner, are you sure this can work?" she asked, watching his hands draw affectionate patterns on her skin.

"Sure it can. In fact, I was wondering what you might think about company in New York," he answered lazily.

"But you have practice."

"Nope, holiday week, remember? Everyone is still recovering from Christmas and New Year's. I thought you wouldn't mind me tagging along for the rest of the weekend."

"That's wonderful," she said with reluctant admiration. "But what happens next?"

"I guess we'll just have to take it day by day. You worry too much, Kira." He kissed her again, and whatever she was concerned with fled under his mouth and hands teaching her body new sensations.


	7. Working Out the Kinks

**Title: Where Your Road Leads**

_Author: Sarafu_

_Rating: PG-13_

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me._

_Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?_

_Dedication: To Casey in hopes that this will somewhat make up for the lack of DT this morning especially the one thing that will never appear on the show._

**Chapter 6: Working Out the Kinks**

_January 2014_

With a quick glance around the empty hallway, Conner knocked with two raps. He cheerfully kissed Kira when she opened the door. "Conner," she protested after a minute, pulling him into the room swiftly.

"What? There's no one else around," he said unapologetically, dropping his duffel bag and noticing the young man in the room. "Hey, David."

"Hello, Conner." He was clearly uncomfortable with the situation. "How are you?"

"Never been better." Conner beamed and threw his arm around Kira's shoulders.

Rolling her eyes, she shrugged off the possessive gesture. "Thanks, David. I appreciate you putting together the schedule for me. Tell Luke to check the synthesizer – I think it needs to be tuned."

"All right." He scribbled the note down and looked at a couple of messages on the notepad. "The radio station called to confirm your interview tonight, and Vogue requested a photo shoot in the next two months."

"Tell Garrett that I'll be there around nine. What time and location is Vogue thinking about?"

"They want you for their May edition so mid-March at the latest. Falling back on their usual theme, spring in Paris. Your last tour date is February 25."

"Mid-March won't work," Conner said, surprising them both. "Hayley's birthday is that week."

Kira smiled gratefully at him. "He's right. Schedule the shoot for the first week of March and make sure that nothing conflicts with that middle week of March. I have to go home to Reefside."

"Won't you be exhausted?" her assistant asked with some worry in his eyes.

"I'll just fly to Paris on February 26 and recuperate there until the photo shoot," she answered lightly. "There are uglier places to rest and relax."

"Okay." He wrote her instructions down and looked in her direction.

"Go do that and then take a break, David," she ordered kindly. "I'm not the only one who needs to be rested. I don't want to see you again until tomorrow."

He stood and smiled self-consciously at them. "Have a good day."

"Bye, David." Conner held the door open for him. Alone at last, he could indulge in the mad desire to kiss Kira, a feeling always at the back of his mind and one he could freely engage in now.

Yet before he had even finished shutting the door, she was already heading for the bathroom. "I need a shower. I don't mind riding on the bus, but I feel so grimy from the road dust, even if it was only six hours."

"That sounds good," Conner said, changing tactics and anticipating the idea.

"Alone," she said, turning pink under his scrutiny. "I'm sorry, Conner, I'm just not ready."

Disappointed but hardly surprised, he nodded. "Sure, I understand."

"Why don't you unpack?" she suggested.

"I can just pull stuff from my bag."

She muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like "Boys!" and disappeared into the bathroom.

Conner took advantage of the solitary time to poke through the drawers and wardrobe. Everything from Kira's suitcase was organized neatly which startled him slightly. A glance in a spiral notebook on the desk revealed song lyrics. He shut the book quickly, knowing how she considered the words private and sacred. He plopped on one of the cushy chairs and picked up the sheaf of papers David had left behind.

"That's my schedule through March," Kira revealed, wandering out in a yellow bathrobe. "I thought we should spend the next few days figuring out the logistics."

"You're very smart," he said warmly, sending a smile in her direction.

"Uh-huh. Do you want lunch?" She fiddled with the room service menu briefly.

"I'm fine. I had a huge meal while I was waiting for my flight."

Kira watched him anxiously. "Um, look, I'm sorry about the whole not being able to travel with us."

Her tone was awkward and unsure so Conner reassured her firmly, "It's totally fine. We agreed that we need to keep this secret for a while from the press and everybody. Besides, I want to tell the others before we let the cat out of the bag. And the best way to do that is to keep most of your people in the dark."

Relaxing slightly, she selected the nearby chair. "We've already talked about this, huh?"

Trying to calm her uneasy nerves, Conner reached for her hand. "It's okay to be nervous, Kira."

"This is weird," she admitted, but she accepted the comfort he offered with a squeeze of his hand.

"I know. Yesterday we were best friends and now . . . it'll be strange, but we will get through this." He sounded so certain that she was almost believed him.

"Garrett's going to ask me about the article, you know," she said reluctantly.

"Deny it all. The usual routine. Our friendship is pretty public by now so it can be passed off as that. You'll come up with something."

"You know, you're pretty smart sometimes, Conner." There was something heartening in his eternal confidence.

"I have my moments," he said, standing to move toward her chair with a rakish smile. "Do I finally get a kiss then?"

* * *

Kira's interview that evening went as well as the couple had hoped. She easily deflected attention with humor and grace, decreeing that the moment had been nothing more than a spur-of-the-moment tribute to her best friend. When the DJ tried to get her to spill the beans on the real Conner McKnight, she declined with a laugh and a comment about no one truly knowing Conner though she did let it slip that he still managed to surprise her occasionally. The man who listened in her hotel suite found himself again amazed by the articulate, gracious woman on the radio – he was not the only one full of surprises.

Aside from a few publicity appearances, they spent the time together in her suite. There were discussions about everything under the sun and questions that Conner finally had to answer. It was meant to be a time to adjust, and they used it well. He needed to find a balance between his overeager affection and his long-denied impulses to touch without overwhelming Kira. On the other hand, she had to wrap her head around the idea of dating Conner still and learn to see him in a romantic light. The sudden transition from friends to lovers flustered her something fierce, but Conner's patience and commitment convinced her that it all might work out just as he promised. In between the talking and the time they spent making love, they even managed to come up with a workable schedule that had them meeting at least once a week even if it was just dinner at a little airport restaurant in the middle of nowhere. The rest of the time there would be e-mails and phone calls. It was only a few short weeks until the end of Kira's tour, and after Hayley's birthday, there would be more time to spend together.

On the final afternoon in New York, the first test of their new relationship call in the form of a phone call from Reefside. At the end of his shower, Conner heard the ring of a phone and ducked out to stare at Kira. Suddenly faced with a naked Conner, she averted her eyes quickly, still unused to the sight of her best friend nude. He was far too comfortable in her opinion and wont to wander through the suite without clothes. She rightly supposed it was because he was aware that he had an attractive body and he lacked any sort of modesty.

"Who is it?"

"Don't you think you should put clothes on?" she said, trying to ignore the rush of desire that was currently coursing through her veins at the brief glimpse she'd had.

"Oh yeah." He walked back into the bathroom and dressed, coming out to discover that Kira had answered the phone with a joyful smile. He listened to her side of the conversation suspiciously. Her happiness was hard to ignore, and he moved closer to peek at the phone. "Kira?"

Startled, she jumped and the video became clear. "I didn't know you had company, Kira," Ethan said with a laugh.

The singer silently gestured at Conner to move back out of view, but he refused, moving closer to the vidphone. "Now I think he deserves to know, Kira."

"Conner?" Ethan's voice was slightly surprised, but he looked pleased at the development.

"Hey Ethan."

"We said we weren't going to tell anyone until Hayley's birthday party, Conner."

"Ethan's not just anyone. He should know. Besides, he can keep a secret," he argued.

The ex-Blue Ranger watched the pair bickering with a satisfied grin. "So you finally got around to telling her, and she didn't run away screaming. I told you she'd be fine with it though I didn't expect you two to be holed up in a cozy hotel in New York."

"Wait a minute," Kira shouted with annoyance. "What do you mean, Ethan? How did you know that Conner had feelings for me?"

Uncomfortable, he tried to ignore Conner's smirk. "It's been pretty obvious to me, Kira, for a long time. I've been telling him that he should say something for years."

"So you knew all along?" she asked dangerously.

He thought that yes would be the wrong answer, but he refused to lie on his best friend's behalf any longer. "Well, maybe not the whole time, but since high school at least."

Her expression was clearly not thrilled with the revelation. "Did everyone on the planet know before me?"

"No, Kira, you have to believe me. No one else has any idea that I've had anything but best friend feelings for you."

"I've got to give you credit for that," Ethan remarked. "You were able to hide it very well considering you're not exactly known for discretion."

"Dude, you're not helping," Conner said, feeling Kira's irritation radiating from her in waves.

"Sorry. Anyway, this whole thing is to be kept a secret until Hayley's birthday party?"

"Yeah, we're going to tell Dr – Tommy, Hayley, Kim, and Trent at that time. And after that, we'll finally tell the press. We just want some private time," Conner explained. "You know how easy it is for a celebrity romance to crash and burn once the press gets involved."

"That makes sense. You know I won't tell anyone," Ethan pledged solemnly. "I want you guys to work out, too."

"Ethan!" Kira finally spoke with apparent frustration.

"Nope, Kira, I'm with Conner on this one. You two deserve your chance to be happy." He glanced at his watch. "Look, I've got to go, but I'll call you both later in the week for more details."

"Bye, bro." Ethan clicked off and Conner found himself face to face with a displeased Kira. "What?"

"How did Ethan know even before I did?" she demanded.

"He guessed, okay? He happened to notice that I wasn't happy that you were dating Trent and that I had a tendency to stare at you. When he finally realized that I really didn't like Trent, he put two and two together. It wasn't like I told him on purpose to upset you ten years later." Conner's voice was as strained as hers.

"But he's been telling you for years that you should say something?"

"Of course he has. He just kept pushing and pushing because he thought that you wouldn't freak out about it. I guess he was wrong about that," he muttered.

With a sigh, Kira pondered his own patience and affection the last few days. He had gone out of his way to take the whole relationship as slow as she wanted. If she felt uncomfortable or wanted space, he was willing to step back. What she had with Conner was unlike anything she had ever experienced, and three days had proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. "I'm sorry, Conner. You're right – I'm overreacting. I was just surprised that you were willing to tell Ethan."

"Because he is Ethan and our best friend. I trust him with this, Kira, as much as I ever trusted him with your life or mine. And I know how happy he would be. Plus, he already knew something was up because you called him the other day to call me," Conner said reasonably.

A sharp knock on the door interrupted the discussion, and Kira moved to answer it. "Oh hey, David," she said.

"Your car is here to take you and Jorge to Madison Square Garden for sound check," David said quickly and walked back toward the elevator.

"I guess that's my cue to leave," Conner replied with a small grin. He hefted his duffel bag onto his back. "Too bad because I was hoping for another round of make the bed." Her smile was warm, but her mind was obviously elsewhere. "Are you still not sure, Kira? Because we can end this now without any hard feelings," he offered.

Blinking with surprise, she stared at him. It was such a generous thing to say even after everything that had happened. Yet there was no hesitation when she shook her head. "No, Conner, I'm pretty sure that we need to explore this further. There's just too much possibility to ignore it."

Relieved, he beamed at her. "Thank God."

She laughed and moved closer to him. "I'm sorry you have to leave before the concert tonight."

"Well, I do have practice tomorrow very early. Besides, you need to focus on your music." He dropped a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Break a leg."

Unexpectedly, Kira wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his fiercely, kissing him with a great deal more passion that he had expected. It was long and drawn-out and left them both trembling when they finally broke apart. "Huh," Conner managed to say.

She blushed, wondering if she would ever feel less like a school girl when she kissed him. "To remember me by," she said almost flirtatiously.

His gaze promised that he would never forget. "So I guess I'll see you next weekend then."

"Definitely. In Missouri, right?" Kira asked. "And you'll call when you get back to Boston."

"Yeah. Have fun tonight," he said, forcing himself toward the open door with long strides. He paused by the door though and glanced back at her. "You didn't choose wrong, Kira." She watched Conner leave, not able to formulate anything to say to his words and not wanting to spoil a goodbye that was already bittersweet.


	8. Reunions and Regrets

**Title: Where Your Road Leads**

_Author: Sarafu_

_Rating: PG-13_

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me._

_Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?_

_Dedication: To Casey who kept me sane and kept pushing me to work on it. But no cars go boom in the chapter._

_**Chapter 7: Reunions and Regrets**_

_March 2014_

When Kira arrived at the large house where she had spent much of her junior year, she paused to survey its welcoming exterior. Time had changed it little – only a new layer of paint and some toys scattered in the front yard showed an indication that ten years had passed. As she climbed the wooden porch stairs, the front door opened and a small brunette grinned with welcome. "Wow, you look fantastic," she said, offering a warm hug to the singer.

"A week in Paris is very rejuvenating. I need to remember that for my next tour."

Kim stared at the blonde intently. "No, it's something else – you look happy."

"I don't usually look happy?" she said, laughing again.

"Not that happy. What's going on?"

"Honestly, Kim, nothing. I'm just glad the tour is over. It's good to be home."

Her friend let the subject drop after giving her one more suspicious look. "Come in. Hayley, Trent, and Ethan are already here. Conner should be here soon."

"Yeah, his plane gets in a couple of hours," Kira said distractedly, looking around the living room. It still contained dinosaur memorabilia, but there were pictures of the Olivers everywhere, arranged with Kim's flair for design. She paused by a miniature model of a tyrannosaurus rex and ran her finger along the jawbone.

"It still works," Kim answered her unasked question. "Tommy goes down there to grade papers sometimes. He likes to keep track of the new teams."

"Even though the guys had warned me, I still didn't believe them until I pulled it myself. They gave me the chance to do it because I hadn't been there the first time." There was no time to go into detail as a voice hollered her name loudly.

"Aunt Kira!" A young girl hurled herself toward the new arrival enthusiastically.

"Hey, Alexa." Kira picked up the bundle of energy, embracing the child with eagerness. "How's my favorite girl?"

"I've been taking tumbling classes, and Daddy says I get to start karate next week," she chattered. "Want to see?"

"Sure, honey."

She wriggled out of her arms and started to do a handstand in the living room. "Alexa, what's the rule?" her mother asked firmly.

"Not in the living room."

"Why don't you take Kira out back? I'm sure she'd love to see everyone else, too."

Kim's suggestion was accepted, and Alexa led Kira toward the yard, babbling about her friends and her classes. In the backyard, Kira found the group chatting idly.

Ethan was first on his feet, striding over to wrap his arms around her affectionately. "Kira! How was Paris?"

"Beautiful like always. How's Marissa?"

"Engaged to a sitcom actor," Ethan said lightly.

"Ouch, I'm sorry." She winced, patting his arm sympathetically.

"I'll survive." He moved aside, letting Hayley approach for a hug and an exchange of greetings before it was Trent's turn.

He smiled shyly at her. "Hello."

She ignored his awkwardness in favor of a quick hug. "Hey, Trent," she replied, genuinely pleased to see her ex-boyfriend. But her attention was soon drawn to Tommy and the child in his arms. "He's so big now," she remarked, moving close enough to kneel next to Tommy's chair.

"He's almost two," Tommy said as the toddler buried his face in his dad's shoulder, overcome by bashfulness.

Alexa tugged on her arm then, demanding notice. "You promised you'd watch, Aunt Kira." When she was assured of her attention, she started to demonstrate all the neat tricks she had learned in her tumbling classes, going through a series of somersaults, handstands, and cartwheels.

The next two hours passed quickly as the adults talked, discussing their lives and the changes to Reefside. Around a quarter to four, Kira began to discreetly check her watch, an action that only Ethan caught. Knowing her thoughts, he sent her an arch look that made her blush and tune back into the conversation at hand about Trent's charity efforts in Reefside and the neighboring communities.

He had changed the most from their group of friends, had evolved from an artist with no desire to be in business to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Yet in spite of his ruthless corporate raider reputation, he had never lost that sense of duty to community that was developed as a Power Ranger. In fact, his youth outreach program had affected a lot of teenagers in Reefside to the point where the high school's graduation rate had increased 20 and the college acceptance rate had jumped fairly high. "So there's going to be at least 50 kids contributing to the mural in the new park," he said, a proud smile on his face.

"It sounds wonderful," Kira murmured truthfully. "I'm glad you're still involved in art. What have you been drawing lately?"

The innocent question made him pause before he admitted, "I don't draw much anymore."

"Why?" she inquired. "You were always so talented."

"No inspiration and no time."

She laid her hand on his arm and smiled sweetly at him. "You'll find it again."

His hopeful glance in her direction was lost in the noise of a car door slamming loudly and her head swiveling toward the sound. "I think Conner's finally here," Ethan remarked unnecessarily, heading around the side of the house.

Kira remained where she was standing, her hand on Trent's arm, but her head was turned in the direction that Ethan had disappeared. "Kira?" her companion asked, slightly louder.

"Sorry," she apologized, gazing back at Trent. Her eyes were brighter than they had been, but she seemed no different otherwise. "You were saying?"

"Thank you for your faith, Kira," he said softly.

Removing her hand, she nodded her head, but Conner and Ethan's banter could be heard as they came around the corner. "What a sweet car," Ethan crowed. "Can I drive it later?"

"Maybe," his friend answered. "I wish they'd had a Mustang though."

"Mustangs are outdated, bro. I still can't believe you drive that hunk of junk." Ethan's jibe hit the mark, and Conner punched him in the arm.

Kira walked toward the pair, her eyes resting on the man in a red T-shirt. The thread of the conversation was lost as Conner caught a glimpse of his girlfriend. He grinned with open affection, but her eyes reminded him that they still had an audience. They settled on a restrained hug and whispered greetings before she stepped away so that everyone else could say hello.

"Hey, Dr. O," Conner said, but a loud clearing of his ex-science teacher's throat reminded him that he wasn't supposed to call him that. "Sorry - Tommy."

"He just feels old when students call him that," Kim teased. "Right, Dr. O?"

"It's a good thing you're holding my son," Tommy answered.

Hayley shook her head and hugged Conner. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Like I'd miss your birthday." He turned toward Trent and offered his hand. "Hey, Trent."

"Hi, Conner, how's soccer?"

"It's great. We still have a lot of work to do before June though."

Ethan faked a look of astonishment. "Conner McKnight admitting that his team needs work? What is the world coming to?"

The group laughed and Hayley, Kim, and Tommy dispersed across the yard again, leaving the other four alone. "I haven't seen you much in the papers lately, Conner," Trent commented, looking at the ex-Red Ranger with interest.

"It's serious training. I'm usually too wiped to go out and party after practice. Besides, the paparazzi have prettier people to chase like Kira here."

Ethan smirked at the glance that passed between his best friends. "It's hard to imagine you being a homebody, Conner."

"I'm a changed man, Ethe."

"Sure you are." Ethan noticed Tommy heading toward the house with an empty iced tea pitcher and poked Conner meaningfully. "Tommy, why don't you let Kira get that for you?"

Tommy paused in confusion, and Conner took advantage of Ethan's cue. "Yeah, we can totally get that for you. I need to use the bathroom anyway."

"But . . ."

"No, don't worry about it. I can find my way around your kitchen, no problem," Kira responded, following Conner easily and holding out her hand for the empty pitcher. He handed it over with a bewildered look.

In the kitchen, Conner paused long enough to let Kira set the pitcher down before he backed her into the counter with a fierce kiss. She was like water for a parched man. "Wait, Conner," Kira said breathlessly, pushing him away. "Someone might see us."

"Fine, come on," he said, pulling her into the hallway and opening the first door long enough to slip into the room with her. Once the door closed, they were kissing passionately again, trying to make up for two weeks. "I can't believe I let you go to Paris."

"Like you would have stopped me." Her eyes shone with amusement and joy.

Sated by the initial burst of passion, he cupped her face gently and kissed her forehead. "How was Paris?"

"The City of Lights? It was lonely," she admitted. "I have to try it with someone I care about some day."

"You and me next time," he promised with conviction.

"I'll hold you to that." Kira leaned in to press her lips against his again, but Ethan's voice outside the door interrupted the embrace.

"Guys, everyone is starting to wonder how long it takes to get a pitcher of iced tea."

Conner opened the door with a glare. "Dude, you couldn't have kept them occupied for a little while longer?"

"I just don't want you to traumatize poor Alexa by surprising her with something no one really wants to see. Did you even look at the room you're in?" Ethan retorted.

Glancing over his shoulder, Conner surveyed the pink room. "Oops."

"Like you would have let anyone get that far," Kira commented, letting Conner off the hook. "You haven't said anything to them yet. I don't think you'd do it now."

Their best friend grinned, still thrilled that they had finally seemed to find happiness with each other. "Are you finally going to tell everyone this weekend?"

After exchanging a glance of mutual agreement with Conner, Kira nodded. "Yeah, better to do it now while everyone is here."

"Cool!"

"Conner, Kira, Ethan?" Hayley called their names as they all heard the back door slam.

Conner untangled himself from Kira, and Ethan looked at them critically. "You guys should look a little less mussed if you can help it. Especially you, Kira." He went out to intercept the genius while his friends tried to fix everything so they didn't look too guilty.

When they emerged a minute later, they found Hayley waiting with an enigmatic smile. "Did you get lost?" she asked.

"We were just looking at Alexa's room. Kim is right – that rose is a much better shade than the dark pink she was thinking about," Kira answered quickly.

Tilting her head slightly, Hayley studied the pair who made the effort to stand apart. "Didn't you see it last summer?"

"Of course she did. She was showing it to me since I hadn't seen it." Conner smiled confidently at the woman.

"Okay. Ethan's already taken out the iced tea for you," she said, nodding toward the back door, and they made a grateful escape. Hayley tended to know more than she revealed, a fact of which they were all too aware.

In the backyard, they separated as Tommy called Conner over to ask about the World Cup tournament and Kira gravitated toward Kim and Trent's discussion about the new Reefside Youth Center. The whole concept had come from Tommy and Kim's recollections of their own time in Angel Grove, and the younger generation thought it was a brilliant idea. They had had Hayley's in their day, but they all thought that Reefside could benefit from having a bigger place for teens to gather. Trent implemented the idea immediately, coming to Tommy, Kim, and Hayley for their input on the floor plans before handing the project over to a manager. Like his other community projects, Trent retained a deep interest in the process, but he had less time than he would have liked to deal with the minutiae. He was extremely passionate in his description of what was planned.

"So it's going to open soon?" Kira asked with a warm smile.

"It's going to be ready in May, just in time for summer." Trent looked pleased by the interest she showed in the project. "I have to find someone to perform for the opening ceremony. I was thinking of finding some local talent."

"Why don't you ask Kira to perform?" Conner asked, coming to stand next to the blonde. "She's going to be in town anyway, working on her album. Hey, she can even perform some new stuff as a treat."

Trent seemed annoyed that Conner had found the solution to his problem, but he hid it under a pleasant smile. "It would be great if you could. You're the living example of local talent."

Her cheeks flushed under the compliment, but she shook her head. "It's for the teens – they should be the ones performing for the opening ceremony."

Conner put his arm around Kira's waist and gave her an adorable grin. "Come on, Kira, you're the one who should do it. You're an inspiration to teens."

She melted visibly under his gaze and leaned into his shoulder. "I'll think about it," she said softly.

Kim cleared her throat loudly, and the pair jumped apart swiftly. She watched them with keen eyes. "Is there something going on between you two?"

"Uh . . ." Kira said, trying to find the words.

Conner found Kira's hand and raised his voice. "Ethan, Hayley, Tommy, can you guys come here?" The trio walked over with varying degrees of confusion. "We haven't really told anyone yet, but we've been dating for a couple of months," he announced bluntly.

Kira's eyes sought their friends' reactions. Kim looked happy while Hayley's expression was unsurprised. Tommy's face contained a bundle of mixed emotions, confusion, surprise, and pleasure. Ethan was overjoyed. She turned to Trent last, unsure of what to expect, but all she saw was a regretful smile on his face. She missed the shadows in his eyes and the pained clenching of his fists in the midst of a sudden outburst from Kim. "That's wonderful. I'm glad you guys are happy," she said, throwing her arms around the couple with obvious joy.

The others followed with their congratulations and hugs. Trent approached them last, offering a handshake for Conner and a smile for Kira. "I hope you make her happy," he said softly.

Conner's grip tightened on his hand. "Happier than you ever did," he replied quietly, low enough that Kira didn't hear the comment.

"Good luck with that," Trent said, managing a laugh when Kira looked away from Hayley. "It shouldn't be that hard."

"What shouldn't be that hard?" Kira inquired cheerfully.

"Nothing," Conner answered. She poked him in the side as a warning, and he said, "Convincing you to sing for the opening ceremony."

"Really? You think you can get me to commit to something like that?"

He responded to the flirtation in her tone by moving his mouth close to her ear and whispering, "I think I have a way to make you change your mind." Conner dropped a kiss on her neck and sending a shiver up her spine.

Without the pressure of hiding their relationship, Conner and Kira relaxed, enjoying the party. The annual gathering for Hayley's birthday was one of the few times that they could talk about the past unguardedly, but even more than the familiarity of the past, it gave them the chance to connect the present and look toward the future. It was a chance to recharge and be around people who loved them before the fame and prestige and money.

Later, Kira watched Conner as he played with Ben, helping the toddler build a tower of blocks. She laughed when he took as much pleasure as Ben did in the destruction of the tower. "Go boom!" the child said enthusiastically.

"Right. Tower go boom!" Conner repeated the phrase happily, picking him up. "Want to fly?"

"Fly! Fly!" Ben chanted. Conner complied, running around the back yard with the little boy squealing with joy.

Alexa launched herself at the athlete. "I'm next, Conner!"

"Be careful," Kim called with a slightly worried smile. It was needless worry as Conner brought the child over to his mother. He giggled in her arms, waving at Alexa as she flew through the air.

Trent appeared at Kira's side, watching the antics with a small smile. "I have to admit I never imagined you and Conner getting together."

She glanced at him. "I don't think anyone did except for Conner and perhaps Ethan. I was totally resistant to the idea, but he managed to convince me to give it a chance."

"Are you happy?" He heard the long explanation of how they had managed to date from Ethan, but she seemed pretty quiet on the subject.

Even if she hadn't answered the question verbally, her bright smile as she turned back to Conner would have answered his inquiry. "Yeah, I'm happier than I've been in a long time. He really cares about me and about trying to make this work. It's not easy, but it's worth it so far."

"All right, kids, it's time for bed!" Tommy announced.

Kira looked down at her watch. "I didn't realize it was so late. Conner, we should go," she remarked to her boyfriend as he approached.

"Sounds good to me." He tossed an arm across her shoulder. "Let's say goodbye and go home to bed."

"Conner!" she said, scandalized but not enough to shrug off his arm.

The rest of the weekend passed without incident or surprise. The next day was all about celebrating Hayley, an accomplishment the group succeeded at with gusto. And on Sunday, it was a group goodbye for Conner who had to fly back to Boston and focus on his soccer. Life would be back to normal for the couple.

Until Monday morning when Kira woke to her ringing phone and hysteria from her publicist . . . every major metropolitan newspaper carried a story with photos linking her and Conner together and claiming they had been together for years.


	9. Tabloid Fodder

**Title: Where Your Road Leads**

_Author: Sarafu_

_Rating: PG-13_

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me._

_Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?_

_Dedication: To Casey who has listened to me rant about this long overdue chapter for months and who gave me the chance to really experience Boston for myself, to Boston for being the city it is, and to "its buttery" who reminded me of this project and even managed to prod me a bit with the poky stick of guilt._

_Chapter 8: Tabloid Fodder_

**March 2014**

Kira stared at the huge pile of papers on her publicist's desk with dismay. "How does anyone know anything? Conner and I have been very careful about keeping our relationship between us."

"Apparently, you weren't careful enough," the brunette snapped. "And as soon as we get this worked out, you will be explaining why you kept this a secret from me, Kira. What's the number one rule?"

Kira swallowed and muttered, "You're my first line of defense."

"How can I prepare against an onslaught like this when I don't know anything?"

"We didn't know someone would – "

"That was a rhetorical question," Penelope answered, stopping her in mid-sentence. "First, you need to walk me through your relationship with Mr. McKnight. I've been through the newspapers and compiled some questions for you to answer. I need to call his publicist and start working on a joint statement which you two will need to present at a joint press conference."

"We're just dating," she protested. "It's not a new album or anything. Can't we just release the statement?"

"If you don't show to answer their questions, they will hassle you constantly. Both of you. They'll follow you to the grocery store, the soccer field, the studio. Peace and privacy will just be gone, Kira."

"It's not like I have either of those anyway."

"It's going to be worse, Kira. They'll be like vultures with a carcass." Her blue eyes studied her client carefully. "This is the biggest celebrity romance in years."

Kira started to deny the charge, but her phone jangled in her purse. "I should get that. It's Conner." The woman gestured freely, and Kira fumbled for the yellow phone. "Conner?" she asked, her shoulder relaxing at the affirmative reply. "Yeah, all hell is breaking loose here, too. My publicist has been reaming me out for not telling her. Yours, too? That makes me feel better. Plan of action? Penelope already has one all prepared."

Penelope shoved a paper and pen in Kira's direction. "Get the name and number of his PR person so I can get on this," she ordered.

As Kira dutifully jotted down the information, she kept up the conversation. "She thinks we need to have a press conference. Can you survive until Thursday? My plane should land in early evening." She paused to listen, a smile crossing her face for the first time in hours. "I am calm, Conner. I know we'll get through this. You don't have to keep repeating it in my ear. Okay, I'll talk to you later. Bye." Kira ended the call and met Penelope's eyes calmly. "What's next?"

* * *

The next few days proved three things to Kira: that Penelope was absolutely right about their status as the next big thing, that journalists had no lives to speak of, and that if she ever found out who had spilled the beans about their relationship, they wouldn't live through her next encounter with them. By the time Thursday rolled around, she was ready for the press conference if only to gain back the hours she had spent avoiding the press and their intrusive personal questions. Conner was not faring any better, his frustration exacerbated by the fact that the reporters kept finding a way to sneak into team practices and distract the whole team from practice with their interviews. He had to suffer through several lectures from his coach about distractions in the form of relationships particularly high-profile romances that created so much publicity. Even Ethan had been waylaid about their relationship, but he dealt with the problem by good-naturedly issuing outrageous rumors that countered the press's information.

Kira took a much larger entourage than she had anticipated to Boston. Her label had increased her security two-fold because they worried about her safety. She was more concerned with the press, but there was little that any of them could do about it until the press conference in Boston. It was easier for Conner to do it in Boston plus it had th added benefit of protecting their hometown and friends from the media circus. Besides, Hayley's wasn't exactly suitable for the journalists who were used to finer surroundings.

In Boston, Kira dispatched David to the Ritz-Carlton across the city and made her way from the airport to the hotel Penelope had selected for the press conference. Despite knowing that this ordeal would be over soon, Kira's spirits did not lift until she was in the same room as Conner, finding his tall frame amidst the throng of people backstage. "Conner," she called, pushing through the small crowd.

He heard her lyrical voice through the din, turning away from Penelope and an unfamiliar young man. As he finally caught sight of her, a sweet, pleased smile appeared and he rushed in her direction. When they reached each other, he lifted her off the ground, his mouth descending onto hers to give her a passionate kiss that shut out the restof the room.

As they separated a couple of minutes later, a wry voice said, "It's surprising that no one exposed you sooner if you always act like this when you see each other."

Conner slung his arm around Kira, who had turned pink at the remark. "Dude, we're in love," he told the young man.

"Right," he replied. "Ms. Ford, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Rodney Phelps."

Kira offered him a shy smile as she shook his hand. "Kira, please, Mr. Phelps. You've done a great job with Conner's career."

"Please call me Rod," he answered jovially. "Lucky for me, Conner sells himself. I just sit back and let him make money for me."

Kira smiled in spite of herself; there was something so honest and straightforward about his words that she couldn't help liking him immediately.

"If you're done trying to charm my client, we ought to return to the business at hand," Penelope interjected smoothly, the only sign of disapproval in the way the corners of her mouth curled slightly. "The press conference is supposed to start in ten minutes."

"Let 'em wait," Rod said.

Kira intervened quickly, sensing the battle brewing. "First of all, I'd rather they didn't riot and try to destroy the room. And secondly, I'd like to get on with our lives. I've read over the statement you two prepared for us, and it looks fine to me."

She glanced at Conner who shrugged. "I don't have any problems with it. Should we take questions?"

The publicists exchanged long telling looks before Penelope nodded. "You should if only to satisfy their curiosity and take back some of your privacy."

"I'm not sure I want to answer questions," Kira said, looking extremely uncomfortable at the idea. "It's none of their business."

"If you don't talk to them, not at them, to them, they'll make your life hell, Kira. It's their specialty," Rod argued.

Conner looked down at his girlfriend with a small smile. "He's right. If we let them ask us questions, they'll back off a lot. Besides, we don't have to answer all their questions."

Biting her lip, Kira asked, "And what if they don't back off?"

Penelope said, "We'll increase your security and keep a tighter lid on your schedule at the same time Rod said, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Amused by their conflicting reports and the death glare Penelope gave Rod, Kira nodded slowly. "All right, but we won't answer everything."

"Good," Rod replied, cocking his ear toward the entrance to the other room. "I think the natives are getting restless. If you want my advice, Kira, follow Conner's lead. He's an old pro at the whole charming the press and dealing with romances in the spotlight."

Kira glanced up at Conner and elbowed him in the side. "Quit smirking. You're not the only one who has dealt with the press."

"But I'm the pro," he protested.

She rolled her eyes and turned to tell Rod, "You shouldn't encourage him. His ego is already too big."

A young woman approached timidly. "Everyone is here, Penelope."

"Excellent. You two can manage to get along through the press conference, right?" Her gaze was hard and intent as she stared at them.

They seemed surprised at her question and answered, "Yes." Conner even went so far as to ask, "Why wouldn't we?"

"I've seen lots of couples that fall apart after their first press conference. I'd hate to waste this opportunity if this fighting is going to undo what's happening today," she said crisply.

Kira smiled while Conner laughed outright. Her thinning mouth told them both that Penelope was not pleased at their amusement. "Is there a reason you think that's funny?"

"Sorry, Penelope, we're just used to dealing with each other. What seems like fighting to other people is really just one of the ways we communicate. It's always been that way. You know, banter. But I guess we've forgotten that people might not get that unless they've actually been around both of us. We'll try to keep that to minimum during the press conference."

"Good call," said Rod, pushing them toward the doorway. "You need to get out there. Have fun and stay cool."

"Be careful what you say to them." Penelope's words were the last thing they heard before they were out on a stage with a podium. At their sudden appearance, the reporters leapt to their feet and started to shout questions at the pair. Underneath the harsh glares of flashing bulbs, the couple joined hands and exchanged glances of silent reassurance. This wasn't the first test, but it was the first public test.

Conner stepped up to the microphones with Kira at his side and gestured for everyone to sit down. "Look, you guys, we know you want to know everything that's up, but if you just hang on for a few minutes and let us get our statement out of the way, we'll be totally willing to answer any questions you have."

Over the silence, Kira interjected, "_Most_ questions."

The group laughed, settling into their seats with their notepads, tape recorders, and vid cells. The athlete gave them a brief, lazy grin as he picked up the single sheet of paper. "As most of you are aware, we have been friends for more than ten years. Recently, we decided to take our relationship in a different direction."

Kira spoke next, "And contrary to the allegations published by a reputable paper, we have only been dating since January. We've kept it private for several reasons, and we know that you will respect our privacy and leave us to our lives."

"Thanks. We'll now take a few questions," Conner concluded, pointing to a reporter in the front row.

"What was your primary reason for moving in a new direction? How did it happen, and did it have anything to do with the concert in Boston?"

"I didn't mean for you to use up everybody's questions," Conner joked before he looked at Kira with a thoughtful expression. "Want to field this, Kira?"

With a quick deep breath, she faced the expectant crowd. "Conner and I did meet for lunch before my concert and we reconnected on several levels. We had a couple of conversations about our lack of relationships, and after the concert, Conner told me that he was attracted to me and asked me to consider dating him. I said no at first, but he persuaded me to change my mind," she answered, omitting several key events.

"Why did you say no at first?" the _Teen People_ reporter asked.

"I know, right?" he interrupted, smiling at the woman appreciatively, but Conner was absolutely serious when he finally spoke. "She was worried about my track record with women."

"And I was concerned about our friendship. We've been friends with each other for a long time," she explained. "I didn't want to mess anything up. That's one of the reasons we kept it a secret from the public. We wanted to make it work without affecting our friendship."

"Can you tell us any of the other reasons?"

"Absolutely not," Conner said firmly. "Those reasons are private."

A young reporter for _The New York Times_ jumped to his feet. "Conner, how long have you been attracted to Kira?"

"A long time," he said simply.

"Why didn't you act sooner?" Kira gave him a pointed nudge at the newest question.

With a brief gesture of mock surrender, Conner said, "For the same reason Kira wasn't too sure about my intentions - I didn't want to risk our friendship on something that might not work out. In the end though, what I felt for her was too strong not to try."

"Do you have any idea who might have leaked the information about your romance?"

They both frowned at the inquiry; it was a subject they had already talked to death. Conner had argued in favor of Trent, but Kira refused to accept the idea on the grounds that he didn't feel anything for her anymore. With a decisive shake of her head, Kira responded, "No, we don't have any idea who it was. The only people who knew are people we trust implicitly. None of them would release anything like that to the press. Besides, isn't it your job to investigate that sort of thing?"

"Not even Trent Fernandez?" asked a young woman from her seat in the back.

Conner remained silent, his seething irritation palpable only to Kira. The blonde denied flatly, "Trent is one of our closest friends. He would never do that."

Sensing the topic was closed for further discussion, another reporter inquired, "What was Ethan James' reaction to the news?"

"He was thrilled, of course," Conner said, relaxing as the topic of Trent passed. "He thought it should have happened long ago."

"And what do you have to say about Ethan's comment that you two are already married with a baby on the way?"

Kira had missed that particular declaration and groaned inaudibly, cursing Ethan's name. However, her voice was steady, betraying none of her frustration. "Ethan was just messing with you, giving a story that could easily be checked out and dismissed. We aren't married and I'm not pregnant."

That announcement energized the crowd into asking all sorts of questions yet one loud question overrode the din. "Are you going to get married?"

Conner glanced at the reporter. "Dude, we just started dating. I'm not ruling it out, but give it some time, okay?"

"Both of you are very busy people. How are you managing to have any sort of relationship particularly since you live on opposite sides of the country?"

The singer relaxed and smiled ruefully. "It hasn't been easy, but we've made it work by finding ways to see each other at least once a week for a meal, making a concentrated effort to spend at least one weekend together every few weeks, and phone calls and e-mails. Plus, we have very organized assistants. It will be a lot easier now that my tour is over."

"Does that mean your new album is going to be put on hold for a while?"

The couple smiled at each other before turning back to the press. "No, Stephanie, I'm still working on new songs. In fact, I wrote quite a bit while I was in Paris at the beginning of the month."

"Will you be moving to Boston while Conner is here?"

"No, Reefside is my home, and it's near enough to L.A. that I can still fulfill my publicity obligations and work with my record company."

"Which isn't a bad thing," Conner added. "I tend to get distracted when she's nearby. I'm sure my coach appreciates her staying away as often as she does." They laughed as they jotted down his answer in addition to Kira's.

"Have your feelings changed all that much since you've been dating?"

"That's a weird question," he said bluntly. "But yeah, I'm in love with her more every day." He smiled at his girlfriend as if she were the one he was speaking to instead of a room full of reporters. Camera bulbs started flashing again at the tender moment, and in the midst of the blinding lights, another voice yelled out a question.

"How about you, Kira? What do you think of Conner now?"

This was the question that Kira had been dreading even moreso once she heard Conner's confident answer. He squeezed her hand for encouragement, and she carefully weighed her options. She knew that she didn't have to answer the question; Conner wouldn't have minded because he understood her reticence better than she expected. On the other hand, to ignore the question would bring even more questions and speculation down on their relationship. Still, she didn't feel as boxed in as she had expected to feel. With a serious, thoughtful expression, she said, "Truthfully, I thought Conner was insane when he suggested we try a relationship. Neither of us are big on trusting our hearts to other people, and long-distance relationships between people in the public eye rarely work. But in spite of my concerns, this has been a really great thing for both of us. I've cared deeply for Conner for a very long time, and all this has done is sharpen the focus a bit and strengthen those feelings even more. Conner's one of the few people in my heart who has always been there for me, and I know that it will always be the case."

"What's your sex life like?"

The question flabbergasted Kira who hadn't been expecting anything quite that open, but Conner accepted it with ease. "I think that means it's time to end the press conference, guys. I wouldn't want to say something that might accidentally offend my girlfriend. _Trust me, I really don't want to offend her._"

As he started to lead her off the stage, she quietly snapped, "Why didn't you refuse to comment?"

He didn't respond until the door to the stage was shut behind them. "Look, Kira, there was no way that they would have believed that I'm not having sex with you. Look at you . . . and I'm Conner McKnight and known for my sexual conquests. To pretend that we didn't have a healthy sex life would never fly and it would have caused even more people to speculate," he answered, staring into her hazel eyes with sincerity.

"That was a brilliant move, Conner," Penelope said as the publicists approached. "Your'e more intelligent and perceptive than people give you credit for." Her eyes reflected more respect now.

He shrugged carelessly and ran a hand through his hair. "That's what I keep telling people, but they don't listen to me."

"Look, kids, we just wanted to tell you that we thought you two did a fantastic -"

"An adequate job," Penelope interrupted. "But you two can work on improving your technique for the next one. It's not a circus no matter how much the media would like to turn it into one and you need to make an effort to avoid that kind of encouragement."

Undeterred, Rod continued, "So have fun this weekend and remember you don't have to hide anymore. You can actually eat in public."

Conner wrapped his arm around Kira's shoulders. "That's a shame. I enjoyed the perks of hiding quite a bit."

"Conner!" she reprimanded, but she accepted the soft kiss he placed on her forehead.

The pair of publicists slipped away undetected as Conner whispered, "You were really great out there, Kira."

She tilted her head and gave him a puzzled look. "And for someone so notoriously tactless with the press, you really weren't."

"Do you really think I'd risk losing you over something stupid I said that could have been avoided?"

With a bright smile at his answer, Kira moved into his arms. "I sent David to check into my hotel, but I was wondering if you'd be more interested in something different, something a little more homey?"

"Like what?"

"Well, you still haven't showed me your place yet," she pointed out.

He paused, considering her words. "All right, but there's something you should know first."

"What's that?"

"My apartment is totally trashed. I didn't plan on company there."

"Is the bed clean?"

Dubiously, he nodded. "I think so."

"We'll be fine then," she said, dragging him through the room. "We can explore the perks of hiding more."


	10. Summer Before the War

**Title: Where Your Road Leads**

_Author: Sarafu_

_Rating: PG-13_

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me._

_Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?_

_Dedication: To anyone on LJ that I've ever exchanged comments with or gotten feedback from in the last three years. But special gratitude belongs to Jarel for being awesome and to Casey for reading through this chapter and being chief stick-poker unknowingly._

_Notes: This chapter is a year in the making so I hope it's worth the wait. Thank you for your patience._

* * *

**Chapter 9: Summer Before the War**

_March 2014_

Later that month, Conner and Kira slipped into the tiny restaurant where they had shared lunch together three months earlier. He grinned at the startled host. "Hey, Matt, got room for a couple more?"

"Conner, Miss Ford, what a pleasant surprise!" Matt said, covertly searching behind them for the crowd of paparazzi that he expected to be following them.

She smiled sweetly and insisted, "Please call me Kira, Matt. Too many people already call me Miss Ford. And from what Conner's told me about your family, I'd rather we were friends instead."

Leaning forward, Conner confided, "Don't worry, Matt. The nice thing about everyone knowing about us is that we can leak misinformation. They're going to be waiting at the top of the Pru for a long time."

"On the other hand, the longer you wait in the doorway, the more likely someone will recognize you and call those vultures," Jorge said, his gravelly tone all business as he appeared in the doorway.

Matt winced slightly, but he picked up three menus and gestured for them to follow him. "Tables for two and one?"

"Preferably like last time," the bodyguard answered. "Well-hidden."

The couple gave him sympathetic looks. "Only if you can, Matt," Kira said, quick to reassure him.

"Of course we can do that, Mi – Kira. Business is fairly quiet tonight." He led them to a cozy corner booth. "The lattice helps keep the prying eyes to a minimum, and I'll seat your companion right across the way there."

"Perfect. Thanks, Matt, you're a lifesaver." Conner helped Kira into the booth and slid into the spot next to her.

"Can I get you started on something to drink while you look at the menu?"

The pair exchanged a look while Kira laid her hand on top of Conner's hand. "A bottle of champagne, please. We're celebrating tonight."

"Celebrating the rest of the world knowing your secret?" Matt asked dryly.

"That, too," Conner said with a grin.

Matt returned the grin and walked over to Jorge's table. The bodyguard had settled immediately without waiting to be seated. "This wasn't really what I had in mind for celebrating your birthday, Conner."

"The restaurant?"

"No, the press conference."

"If it means I get to have you to myself for a whole extra day, I'm not going to complain." Conner stared at her meaningfully, his hungry expression making it clear what he was not complaining about.

"Conner!" she scolded in a laughing tone.

His reply was unapologetic. "Sorry. You were saying?"

"How do you think the press conference went?"

"I think you were brilliant, sweetheart," he said, loyalty seeping into every syllable.

Kira rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Do you think it will calm them down any?"

"Both Rod and Penelope think it will. And they're going to be so busy trying to find angles and scoop each other that I think we'll have a little bit of breathing room. And we're going to be spending a ton of time apart for the next few months anyway. Unless you've reconsidered moving to Boston for now?" he finished hopefully.

His hope was negated when she shook her head. "Conner, we've talked about this. I need to be working on my next album."

"You can work on your next album here," he pointed out.

Matt arrived at that moment, bearing champagne and glasses. His broad smile didn't falter even when he realized that their discussion was serious. "Our best champagne in honor of your celebration. Have you decided what you want to order?"

Mustering a smile, Kira picked up her unopened menu and glanced cursorily over the list. "You know, I really enjoyed the ravioli alfredo last time so I'll just have that again and a Caesar salad."

"The usual, Matt," Conner said without looking at the menu. "No fries though. Coach wants me to cut back on 'em before the World Cup."

"Right, vegetables instead," Matt answered, noting it down and missing the soccer star's grimace.

When Matt walked away, Conner turned back to Kira with an expectant look. "So?"

"I can't just pick up and leave for three months. We've had this discussion already."

"Why not?" Lots of great writers found inspiration here. Aerosmith. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon."

Kira sighed. "It's not that simple, Conner. The recording studio is in L.A. All of my media appearances are in the area. And I've offered to take care of Alexa and Ben occasionally. I have commitments there," she reminded him gently.

"I know. I just wish you could be here. I miss having you nearby." Conner's tone was full of acceptance.

She squeezed his hand. "Remember I've already cleared July to come and watch you win the World Cup."

"Who's the arrogant one now?" he teased. "Besides, you're only coming so you can sing the National Anthem at our games."

"That was the upside to being your girlfriend," Kira retorted. "And that's not the only reason. That was going to be my cover story if our relationship was still a secret in July."

"Yeah, but there's a part of me that's glad it's not a secret anymore. Watching you go to the Grammys with Ethan was _hard_."

Kira laughed at his whiny tone. "Well, I guess you don't have to worry about that anymore."

"Cool! I always wanted to go to the Video Music Awards. I mean have you seen some of the things that those girls wear?" His face lit up with childish delight, reminding Kira of the way he used to react to simple joy in high school.

Poking him for the second part of his comment, she protested lightly, "I probably won't be nominated for anything this year."

"There's always next year," he said, dismissing her words. "And aren't you supposed to go even when you're not nominated?"

Wordless, Kira shook her head. He always talked about long-term plans without heeding the implications. When he thought about the future, all he saw was their relationship, something that both scared and awed Kira. At the press conference, he had treaded lightly, only claiming to love her, but Kira knew he was certain she was the one. Not for the first time, she wished she felt the same way. In a lot of ways, she was still coming to terms with her own deepening feelings for him.

"Hey, earth to Kira," he said softly, watching the rapid change of expressions that crossed her face. If nothing else, she had forced him to learn patience. He still worried that he might push her too hard and chase her away in his enthusiasm.

"Sorry, I was thinking," she answered with an apologetic smile.

"About something serious." He nudged her quietly. "It's my birthday. No serious unhappy thoughts."

"It's your birthday?" Matt asked, setting down their dinner trays. "So that's what you're celebrating."

"It's a good reason." Kira smiled privately. "After all, he's a year closer to being old and gray."

"Be quiet, Miss-I'm-Only-A-Few-Months-Away-From-Being-The-Same-Age," Conner retorted good-naturedly. "Besides, I still have a couple of days before my birthday."

Reaching across the table, she ruffled his hair, a familiar gesture of affection. She was still the only person allowed to muss his hair and took advantage of that fact as often as she was able. "You just keep telling yourself that, Conner. Then you'll be surprised when your hair starts to fall out." The bickering couple failed to notice that Matt had slipped off with a smile.

"My hair is not going to fall out," Conner said, touching his hair anyway to ensure that it hadn't started to fall out while he wasn't looking.

"That's not what Eric says."

"If my hair falls out, then Eric's is going to also." Conner picked up his fork and stole some ravioli from her plate. "So don't think you can replace me with him."

"I wouldn't dream of dumping you to date Eric." When he gave her a goofy smile in return, she said, "I'd dump you for a handsome, young guy who won't go bald." The way his smile disintegrated made her laugh and she offered an apologetic giggle. "I promise not to trade you in . . . at least not this year."

"That's good to know, Kira. I'd hate to have to break in someone new just as I was getting used to you."

She shook her head at his arch look and returned his volley was one of her own. "Don't lie, Conner – if I traded you in for a better model, your heart would be broken."

Conner laughed. "I can't exactly take you seriously when there is no other better model."

"You know, Con, your ego isn't always the most charming thing in the world."

"Yeah, you tell me that constantly – so far I haven't seen any sort of evidence that it's the case." Kira kicked him under the table. "Ouch! Why is your first reaction always violence?"

"It's amazing how about works, isn't it? I don't know why you always seem to inspire violence in me." She sounded affectionate when she said these words, discounting the bite of her comments.

"I really don't know why either. I'd much rather inspire other things instead." He leaned forward to touch her hands, caressing them intimately.

Matt came back at that moment, bringing another bottle of champagne. "It's courtesy of the house," he said. "For my favorite customer's birthday."

"Thanks, Matt." Conner grinned pointedly. "At least I'm someone's favorite."

"Hey, you're my favorite soccer player." She paused and finished, "I guess you're my favorite boyfriend, too."

"I feel so special," he said sotto voce. "Matt, can I have some of your most excellent spumoni?" Matt nodded and moved away after determining that Kira preferred something a bit warmer to counteract the bitter cold outside.

"Well?" Conner looked at Kira expectantly.

"Well, what?"

"Do I get my birthday present?"

"Remember how you told me you still had a few days before you got old? I think you should have to wait until Saturday." Her expression was halfway amused and halfway mulish.

"Kira . . ."

"Nope."

"But everyone else's gifts will show up at the party. I don't want your gift getting lost," he said, changing tactics.

She laughed merrily. "Maybe you should try that on someone who hasn't had to put up with your incessant demands for hints. Ten years is a long time to have to deal with that, and I've learned a lot of patience."

"Your gift probably sucks anyway," he pouted.

"I know that one, too." He gave up when Matt brought out the dessert though he still had one final thing to say.

As he spooned the spumoni into his mouth, he mumbled, "It better be good though."

* * *

When Saturday rolled around, Conner had ramped up his requests for his birthday present, alternately cajoling and threatening her as soon as he got home from practice. Kira was amused by his displays of petulance and made sure that he was aware of her laughter – it inevitably led to Conner chasing Kira around his apartment into the bedroom. After one such bout that morning (post-breakfast because Conner felt that it was the most important meal of the day), she handed him a large box wrapped in red soccer paper. 

"Finally!" he said, shaking the box. "It's kind of heavy to be something from Victoria's Secret."

Kira smirked. "If I'd known you wanted lingerie, Con, I would have bought you some to wear around the house."

He gave her a look that said she would pay for that later and tore open the box to reveal a large scrapbook. Peering at the front cover, he said, "It's a book."

"Score one for the Mensa member," she replied, dissolving into giggles when he glanced at her in confusion. "Just open it, you big dork."

"Ethan's the dork," he said automatically and started to turn the pages. "Kira, this is awesome. And you got pictures from everyone – there's a ton of pictures of just us."

Kira leaned over and pointed out one of the pictures. "That one is my favorite."

"I don't even remember them taking that on draft day. Did I really kiss your cheek?"

"Yeah, our first kiss," she teased. "I think it was right after they announced that you had been drafted first."

"That makes sense." He paused for a long moment, trying to remember everything that had happened that day. "I don't really remember everything."

Her smile was sweet as she touched his hand. "It was a huge deal – too much excitement and craziness that day. But you're not the only one; I barely remember the day they offered me a record deal."

"Nice try." He flipped through the scrapbook, pausing to look at pictures from high school. There were several of Hayley's café with the three of them in the middle of talking or watching Kira play or cheering Ethan on. "From Hayley, I presume?"

She nodded. "And a few from Devin, too. He kept copies of a lot of video he took while he was with Cassidy so he converted the digital video into images."

"I can't believe you have pictures of the Spring Fling," he said, staring keenly at the picture of him and his date standing with Kira, Trent, Ethan, and Ethan's date. Ethan and his date only had eyes for each other, but Conner was staring longingly at Kira in the photograph.

Her laughter rang through the room. "Of course I have pictures from Spring Fling. Remember how Emily switched partners with me so we could dance together?"

"You knew?" he said, aghast.

"Not at the time, but in retrospect, it makes perfect sense." Her finger ran lightly over his image. "I don't know how I didn't see it, Conner. I mean I must have looked at this picture a thousand times."

"You weren't meant to see it."

Kira looked at him with surprise, hearing the odd bitter note in his voice. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he muttered and turned the page to find a picture of him winning State while Kira and Ethan cheered for him.

"Don't say that. What's wrong?" she asked persistently.

His tone was abrupt and harsh. "I don't exactly like thinking about how hopeless my love was back then. It was hard to watch everyone else be happy even if I did think I might have a chance some day. I was kind of a loser."

"Conner, you were not a loser. I wouldn't date a loser." He gave her a Look and she coughed slightly. "Fine. But you weren't a loser back then either. At least you tried to get on with your life. How long did it take me before I started dating anyone after Trent? And even then, I didn't usually stick with them for very long."

"That's true," he said, cheered by the thought. She punched him lightly in the arm. "Dude, there's even articles about us in here. Even the sad tabloid ones. Look, here's the first one after your Boston concert, the one that guessed our secret without really guessing it."

"I thought you would enjoy those. David worked his butt off to get all the articles and pictures together so I could spend some time in Paris making the scrapbook. I think he really liked the outlandish stories that he dredged up."

"David totally has it in for me." Conner glanced at final few pages with amusement. "You've even got it updated with all the stuff from this week."

"It's a good thing you had practice yesterday so I could finish the scrapbook. But there are lots of blank pages to fill in." She smiled serenely and said, "Our story isn't over yet."

Conner swallowed at her statement. It was unpredictably out of the blue and quite possibly the most optimistic thing he'd ever heard her say about their relationship. "I hope it's never over," he said impulsively.

"Of course it won't be. We were friends first and we'll always be friends, right?"

He suppressed the disappointment that had welled up. "Right."

"But for now, we're something more," she added, kissing him joyfully. "We should get ready. Ethan and everyone will be here any minute for your party."

"Is that why you gave me this ahead of time?"

"I didn't want my gift to get lost in all the confusion." She smirked at him and he kissed her in response. They pulled apart reluctantly when the doorbell rang.

To nobody's surprise, Ethan was on the other side of the door and he strolled in carelessly. He hugged them both and stepped back. "Do you two feel differently now that the whole world knows the truth?"

Kira was quick to deny it, but Conner sounded relieved when he said, "Yeah, I finally feel like I don't have to hide my personal life. I was getting sick of telling people that I wasn't dating anyone at all."

"Poor baby," Kira replied, patting him on the shoulder. "It must be so miserable to have someone think that you haven't had sex for a long time."

"Whoa, TMI." Ethan shoved a small package in Conner's direction. "Here, catch."

Staring at the size of the package, Conner looked slightly disgruntled. "You shouldn't have."

Ethan ignored the comment, spotting the scrapbook on the coffee table. "Oh, is this it?" When Kira nodded, he plopped himself down on the couch and started thumbing through the pages.

"You told Ethan?" Conner hissed as their best friend chuckled at one of the more embarrassing shots of Conner trying to get away from a tabloid reporter.

She shrugged unconcernedly. "He helped me out a lot with some of the pictures and tracking down the articles."

"Hey, Kira," Ethan said, looking up from the book, "Jorge asked me to remind you that the only reason he and the label agreed to staying here instead of at a hotel was because you promised you would call when you wanted to leave."

Frowning, Kira played idly with the arm of Conner's couch. "What is he talking about?"

"You, him, and ice cream? Sound familiar?"

"We walked two blocks to the ice cream place," she said. "How did he even know?"

Ethan shook his head. "You guys were seen. And more than a few people noticed that your entourage was a lot smaller than it usually is."

"So what?" Conner demanded. "She should be able to leave the building if she needs to without having to call her bodyguard. Besides, I was with her."

Ethan shot Kira an ambiguous look, but she stood and walked over to touch Conner's shoulder. "It's okay. He's right – I'm not supposed to do anything like that according to my contract with the label."

"That's stupid. You're not even on tour or anything right now."

Smiling affectionately, Kira kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Con. I'm gonna go call Jorge and talk to him about it."

"Good idea," Ethan said mildly.

Conner flopped on the couch next to him. "What kind of contract is that?"

"It's no different than the clause in your contract that doesn't allow you to go off and do something stupid."

The doorbell rang again, cutting off an argument that probably had to do with Conner needing bodyguards from obsessive fans trying to rip his clothes off. Conner grumbled a little but opened the door with his most charismatic grin.

"Happy birthday," Kim said, handing Ben to Tommy so she could give him a hug. "I'm glad you decided to invite us to Boston this time."

"Hey, that invitation is a standing invitation for all of you," he retorted. Conner had decided that he wanted a small party for several reasons including the size of his apartment and so had limited it to people in Reefside and Eric. Conner greeted everyone with the same exuberant hug until he arrived at Trent who was hanging back. He shook his hand stiffly and said, "Hi, Trent. Glad you could make it."

Trent smiled tightly. "Happy birthday. Thanks for inviting me." Neither of them touched on the fact that it had been Kira's idea to invite Trent along with everyone else.

Snapping her cell phone shut, Kira emerged from Conner's bedroom and grinned at the group. "Guys!" she said, flinging her arms around everyone including Trent. She immediately held out her hands for Ben as Alexa ran toward Conner's PS5 with a squeal of delight.

Ethan helped Alexa out by setting up the PS5 for her. Hayley looked at Conner and asked, "Are you going to show us around?"

"Well, there isn't much to see exactly."

Kira laughed cheerfully. "He isn't wrong, Hayley. It's pretty much this, the bathroom, and the bedroom."

"I just don't understand. You and Kira both have enough money to buy homes," Tommy added. "Why would you want to live in an apartment?"

"I wouldn't dream of speaking for Conner, but I haven't had time to do any kind of looking for a place to settle down in. Maybe this summer."

Conner nodded agreeably. "For me, it's that I spent so much time moving around. After June, I don't know where I'll be. I'll be a free agent again after this season so I may wind up back on the West Coast. It's not worth it to buy a house until I have a better idea of where I might permanently settle down. And right now, I don't want to buy a house on the opposite coast of my girlfriend anyway."

Kim thumped Tommy on the arm affectionately. "See, they know what they're doing, honey."

Everyone laughed at his confused expression. "So where's the grub?" Ethan asked.

"Oh, crap, I forgot to order pizza. Drinks and the vegetable tray are in the fridge, chips are on top. Since you're so hungry, maybe you should serve the drinks and snacks, Ethe," Conner suggested. He didn't check to see if Ethan actually did it, choosing to pick up his cordless phone so he could order several large pizzas (and a few salads).

Kira shifted Ben on her hip and gestured to Trent to follow her into the small dining nook. "I wanted to let you know that I thought about your invite for the Reefside Youth Center opening and well, Conner convinced me that it was a very good idea since I'm going to be in town so if you still want me, I'd be happy to do it."

"Oh, Kira," he said, his face lighting up. "Of course I want you. You'll always be welcome at the Youth Center and your presence will make the opening ceremonies especially important."

Conner strolled up at that moment and held out his arms for Ben who went happily into his arms. "Boom!" the toddler said.

Patting Ben's head, Kira explained, "I was just explaining to Trent that I wanted to perform at the opening ceremony for the Youth Center."

Trent beamed at her before he turned a dimmer smile in Conner's direction. "I heard I have you to thank for it."

"Don't mention it, man. I didn't have to push very hard," he teased. Trent's smile slipped further when Kira poked Conner in the side after she blushed. "Ethan, your pizza will be here in 45 minutes. Hopefully, the veggie tray will keep you entertained."

Ethan looked very much like he wanted to say something rude, but he glanced at Alexa and Ben and kept his mouth shut. "I'll be fine."

As Kim came over to retrieve Ben, she asked, "When is your family getting in, Conner?"

"They're flying in tomorrow," he answered. "I wanted to give them a chance to meet Kira on neutral ground since I haven't exactly had a chance to take her home to see them since the news broke. Eric knows her, obviously, but my parents have only met her a few times and she was never my girlfriend."

"Sounds serious," Hayley said softly.

"Well, it is moving a lot faster than either of us had planned. I'm afraid the tabloids sort of ruined everything," Kira admitted.

From Conner's grin, it was evident he didn't agree. He liked being able to show off his beautiful, talented girlfriend to the world and he told the whole group as much with pride.

Trent dropped his plastic cup and spilled soda everywhere. While he apologized profusely, Kira, Ethan, and Conner worked together to clean it up and by the time the soda had disappeared, the subject had moved on to the U.S. team's chances in the World Cup, Tommy's biology class, and the most recent renovations to Hayley's café. The pizza arrived on time, Conner liked most of his presents (he didn't quite understand why Tommy had given him a book on dinosaurs and stars), and the ice cake hadn't melted so they counted it as a win as far as the group parties usually went.

But by the time the party was over and everyone had agreed to meet for brunch before they left for their respective hotels, Conner and Kira were desperate to be alone again. They collapsed on the couch into a pile together and moaned pitifully. "I forgot how hard it is to entertain people."

"Not people, our friends," Conner contradicted with an exhausted voice. "I just want to die right here."

Kira leaned against his shoulder, letting his arm curl around her shoulder so she could snuggle in closer. "That sounds like a good idea."


	11. I Break Things

**Title: Where Your Road Leads**

_Author: Sarafu_

_Rating: PG-13_

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me._

_Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?_

_Dedication: This chapter could go out to one person – HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAREL! You rock._

Notes: Much thanks to Casey for listening to me babble about plot points and helping me tighten it up in places.

* * *

**Chapter 10: I Break Things**

_April 2014_

During the weeks after Conner's birthday, it was impossible for Conner to get away to see Kira for any extended length of time. His coach had stepped up the practices to almost an insane degree because there was no room for error and June was suddenly a lot closer than it had been in March. They saw each other all of twice during those many weeks, and Kira found that she missed him more than she had expected. It was different when she had been on the road and he had been practicing because they both had things to occupy their time. Now that she was home to work on her album, her small apartment seemed large and empty without Conner's swaggering presence. 

She spent her days trying to write but finding it easier to escape to see Ethan or Hayley or Tommy's family. Ethan always welcomed her and forced her to see the newest thing that his company was working on before he dragged her off to lunch. She appreciated his efforts to keep her company, but sometimes it just made her feel Conner's absence that much more. Hayley was easier because she always had a corner table reserved for Kira so she could write in peace and a constant supply of the Yellow Ranger Special drinks that she had named in Kira's honor. Still, Kira found that she favored the rough and tumble Oliver home where Tommy was always willing to discuss the latest Ranger news, Kim helped her with lyrics, music, and ideas, and the kids were a joy to entertain. It was hard to feel alone in a household where quiet wasn't an option.

Hayley allowed her and one of the local bands to use the stage at the Cyberspace to practice for the Reefside Youth Center opening. The opening meant that Kira saw Trent more than usual since he stopped by to see Hayley often and also to check out the band for the performance. It was getting easier to see Trent around Reefside where once she had ignored his very existence or awkwardly said hello before hurrying away.

One of the last practices before the performance happened after Hayley had closed her doors for the night. "Great job, guys," Kira said to the band as they started packing up their equipment.

"Here you go," Trent said, handing her a fresh bottle of water when she stepped off the stage.

Kira looked surprised and grateful. "Trent, I didn't realize that you had showed up."

Nodding in Hayley's direction, Trent smiled. "Hayley let me in just in time for your last set. You've done wonders for the kids."

"They're very talented and they deserve a chance to shine. Of all the bands I played with for the audition, they were the best ones"

Hayley returned from letting the band out the front door. "Trent, I may never forgive you for stealing them away for the Youth Center. They're the whole reason this place is packed Friday nights."

"Hayley, you were the one who suggested them," he reminded her. "Look, I have to go. There's a ground-breaking tomorrow. I'll see you guys later. Maybe we could do lunch later this week, Kira."

"Yeah, maybe," she said distantly. After the front door closed, she glanced up to find Hayley looking at her with concern. "What?"

She placed a glass of juice in front of Kira. "I thought you and Trent were getting back to being friends," she replied carefully.

"We are. I'm just not really ready to meet him for lunch alone."

"Is it because of you or because of Conner?" If it had been anyone else, Kira would have refused to answer the question, but it was Hayley which counted for everything.

Kira smiled wearily. "Conner does dislike Trent, but it's not really that. You know I'd never let him tell me who I could have lunch with."

"I know, but I wasn't sure if you knew."

Instead of looking at Hayley, Kira stared down at the counter and played with the straw in her juice. "The truth is that I'm over Trent. I've been over Trent for ages. And Conner's great about our relationship and trying to make it work, but he has all these feelings for me that . . ."

"You don't know if you love him." Hayley laid a hand on top of Kira's. "It's okay to be unsure, Kira."

"No, I love Conner. He's one of the best friends I've ever had. But it's not the same way that I loved Trent and that scares me. When I'm not with Conner, I feel so empty and incomplete. And sometimes I think that it's too consuming, that I might not survive if I don't keep him at arm's length. Maybe that's why it's better that we're apart so much of the time."

"You don't really believe that."

With a weak smile, Kira let the silence hang between them.

"Have you told Conner that you love him?"

Kira swallowed hard and muttered, "No, I haven't. I can't."

"Why?" Hayley asked evenly.

"It's too hard."

Hayley squeezed her hand. "The Kira Ford I know would never back down from a challenge because it's too hard."

Before Kira could respond, her vidphone jangled. The ringtone was unfamiliar to Hayley, but Kira snatched it up before it could ring more than once. "Hi, David, what's going on?"

Hayley was able to see the video of David and hear his words clearly. "Hi, Kira, I came with the car to take you and Jorge back to your apartment. We're ready to go whenever you are."

"You didn't have to do that, David," Kira said, frowning slightly. "I thought I told you to take a few days off."

He laughed lightly. "I couldn't take more than a few hours off. It was making me go crazy. And I thought you'd like to go over the schedule for the next few days."

"Okay, I'll be out in a minute." She hung up the phone and glanced at Hayley. "That was weird."

"What?"

"David's been extremely protective lately. It's almost like he's hovering all the time. And it's not like him to ignore me when I tell him to take some time off."

Hayley patted Kira's hand and removed her drink in one easy motion. "Ethan said something about letters and the record label increasing your security. He also mentioned that David was just as concerned about your safety as anyone else."

"He's like a little brother to me," Kira confessed. "Conner called him a pit bull when he first talked to him on the phone. I'm starting to see why it's a great description of him."

As Kira got to her feet, Hayley said, "Sounds like a great quality to have in a personal assistant."

"I've got good people around me. I'm lucky. Bye, Hayley."

Hayley waited until Jorge and Kira were almost through the door before she raised her voice and called, "Don't forget what we talked about, Kira. The sooner you tell him how you feel, the better off your relationship will be."

* * *

By the time David had gone over her schedule in detail and Jorge had gone to his own apartment (on the same floor as hers), Kira was utterly exhausted. It was one in the morning and she pined for her bed, empty as it was. However, sleep was not to be since her vidcell rang again – it was Conner's ring so she automatically picked it up and said hello as cheerfully as she could manage. "What are you doing awake?"

"Practice at five," he grunted. "But I wanted to call and see how my girl was doing. I didn't wake you, right?"

Kira bit back a retort about not being his girl for long if he continued to use that endearment. It was a fight they had every so often and somehow she always managed to lose it. "No, I just got home from what seems like a day that wouldn't end," she said. "I'm glad you called though."

He smirked at her. "I'm glad I caught you before you were in bed. It's not quite as good as being there, but at least you'll dream of me."

"You wish. How was yesterday?"

"Full of soccer. How'd your rehearsal go?"

"It was good and everyone says hi," she said easily, but she paused for a moment. "Trent asked me to go to lunch this week."

Conner was silent for a long moment. "Are you going to go?"

"I don't know," she answered, surprised at how well he was handling it. Maybe he was more reasonable in the middle of the night.

"Hmm. Hey, is that my shirt?" he asked abruptly. "It looks good on you."

Kira looked down and flushed. She had taken to sleeping in his shirts that he always left when he visited. It was a comfort thing more than anything else, but she didn't know how to explain it to Conner. "I . . ."

"Hey, no worries. Like I said, it looks good on you. I always thought you'd look great in red."

"I'll keep that in mind for the next time I see you," Kira answered dryly. "As much as I love hearing from you, you usually time your calls better. What's going on?"

He frowned a little and held up a piece of paper with typed words on it. "I got this letter and when I mentioned it to Ethan, he told me I should tell you about it and that maybe you could tell me what it meant."

Her heart sank, but she managed to sound even. "What does it say?" she said, wishing her mouth wasn't so dry.

"You can never take care of her like I can. You'll never love her as deeply as I love her. And you won't be able to hold onto her much longer," he recited. "I think it's pretty obvious that he means you."

Kira sat down on the bed and stared at the screen. Conner's expression was one of concern and curiosity. "Yeah, he means me. Can you email it to me? Jorge is going to want to take a look at it."

"Sure, Kira, no problem. But I don't understand why Ethan thinks you know what it's about."

She wanted to curse Ethan but knew that it would never work. "From the sounds of it, it's from my stalker," she answered truthfully.

"Well, we all have stalkers, Kira, but mine don't usually bother the person I'm dating."

This was not a conversation she wanted to be having in the middle of the night. "And I have those kinds, too, Conner, but this guy – he's dangerous and mentally ill. No one knows if he's going to coming after me or not. The police and Jorge think that the letters are getting more desperate . . ."

"No, wait a second, you have a whackjob after you and you didn't tell me?" he asked, sounding offended. "Don't you trust me?"

"Conner, no, it's not a matter of trust. It's just that I'm not really supposed to discuss it with anyone. And I thought you wouldn't force me to stay cooped up inside like everyone else wants me to do. Do you know what kind of freedom it was to be able to go and get ice cream with you?"

He got angry at that comment. "No wonder Ethan and Jorge were so upset that we went out alone. I can't believe you let me put you in danger. If I had known . . ."

"Exactly," she said softly. "I wanted it to be just the two of us going on a normal date."

"Damn it, Kira, you knew that I would never have let you leave the apartment without Jorge. I suppose that's why you have him following you around everywhere."

Kira nodded. "The record label insisted when it became apparent that he's a lot more dangerous than the others. He knows where I am a lot of the time and sometimes he sends pictures of me doing normal things. That's one of the reasons it was written into my contract – they don't want to lose me when making them money or however they put it."

"How does Ethan know?" Conner asked in a tone that indicated he was still extremely upset with her silence. "If you're not supposed to tell anyone."

She took a deep breath. "Ethan was with me when I received the fourth or fifth letter. And when I read what it said, I guess I got a little lightheaded and Ethan snatched it from me. Once he had read it, he had David bring the other ones so he could read those, too. He was the one who talked me into going to the police and letting the record label handle my security from then on."

"David knows?"

"He's my personal assistant. He keeps the undesirables away and protects my privacy."

"He doesn't do a very good job," Conner said bluntly. "Otherwise, your stalker wouldn't know where to find you most of the time."

Sighing, Kira pushed her hair out of her eyes. "Be reasonable, Conner. I don't like to hide myself away. It's not that hard to track me down."

After a long pause, Conner asked, "Do you think your stalker is the one who leaked our relationship to the press?"

Kira admitted, "It had crossed my mind once or twice. If we weren't careful enough at some point, it would have been easy enough for him to figure out the truth and blare it to media."

"I don't like this, Kira."

"Which part?" she said in a wry tone.

"The stalker for one thing, but also the part where you lied to me," he said harshly. "Do you think that I want to lose you to some psycho?"

"No," she answered. "No, I know you would protect me with your life, but Con, I get that with everyone. Ethan, Jorge, David, Luke, the record label. It's too much sometimes. I like the fact that I can just be Kira with you, that I don't have to worry about someone trying to kill Kira Ford, rock star."

He looked unconvinced by her argument. "You should have trusted me, Kira. If you can trust David . . ."

"I do trust you, Conner. You should know that more than anyone. I trust you with my life, with my secrets, hell, with my heart." She spilled far more than she had intended, clapping her hand to her mouth as if to make the words disappear.

Conner sat very still on camera, staring through the phone at her. This was one of those times where she missed regular old cell phones. The anonymity of a cell phone was occasionally more of a blessing than she had ever realized. "What?"

With a deep breath, she said, "I love you even if you're way too overprotective of me."

"What?" he repeated in amazement.

"I love you." Kira definitely sounded annoyed this time. "If you make me repeat it again, I'll take it back."

"Are you kidding? I'm never letting you take that back," he said, his voice almost back to normal. Kira detected a husky note to his voice that she didn't think she'd ever heard before, but she attributed it to his previous anger. "But that doesn't mean this conversation is over. We need to talk about this. The next time I see you, we're going to have a long conversation, Kira."

Sighing, Kira nodded. "Fine. It's not going to change anything though. Jorge lives right down the hallway and he goes with me everywhere in Reefside. I'm not in danger, especially not tonight."

Conner gave her a piercing look but let the comment slide. "Look, I have to go if I'm going to make it to practice on time."

She yawned in response. "And I should get some sleep. I have interviews with the local media including Cassidy."

"Good luck," he said, making her wince. It was far easier to deal with Cassidy through rare emails – she hardly imagined that Cassidy had changed that much since high school and that much pep and energy was probably just as annoying. "Hey, you should have lunch with Trent if you want. And I love you, too."

He hung up on her after that, but Kira stared down at the phone cradled in her hand for a long time. Hayley had been right – it had been a lot easier than she had expected to tell him the truth. Still, she wondered if she had done the right thing and what effect it would have on their relationship. And to her very great surprise, he had told her that he didn't mind her having lunch with Trent. She hadn't lied to Hayley about rocking the boat with Conner, but there was still a level of discomfort that Conner might be upset. He trusted her to make the decision that was right for her even if it wasn't right for them. Now, she just had to make the choice.

* * *

The interviews with the local media were not as time-consuming as she had expected. David had managed to arrange it so that she could move on quickly to the next interview once she was done. It was supposed to be a series of interviews that focused on the upcoming opening of the Youth Center, but she noticed that a majority of the questions had more to do with her love life than with her new, mostly-nonexistent record or the opening. Halfway through her day, she leaned over to David and whispered, "Sometimes I think I should have stayed celibate. It would have to be easier than this circus."

David grinned. "Maybe you should have stuck to civilians instead."

"That's a very good point." Kira glanced up and groaned slightly. "Hi, Cassidy!"

"Kira, hey," Cassidy answered with a beaming smile, waiting impatiently for her cameraman to pull a chair up for her. "You do not even know how much I miss Devin at times like these." But the comment wasn't mean-spirited and Kira caught the underlying emotion in the words.

"I should go check on the next interview," David said, jumping to his feet.

Cassidy gave him an appraising look and muttered, "God, I guess that he's the one who kept me at bay all these months. Huh." She waited for her intrepid cameraman to move away to set up the camera before she leaned forward and examined Kira. "I can't believe how much you've changed, Kira. You're a woman of fashion and everything."

The small part of Kira that was eternally seventeen bristled at the perceived insult, but Kira smiled congenially in response. "You've haven't changed much." Outwardly, Cassidy hadn't changed much at all, her hair a little blonder, her smile a little less artificial although she had traded her contacts in for glasses that sat on her end of her nose.

But Cassidy laughed and pushed her glasses upward. "I've changed a lot which is probably not a bad thing. I was a nightmare in high school."

"You weren't so bad," Kira answered, remembering Ethan's defense of Cassidy and the ultimate career sacrifice Cassidy had made for their secret.

The reporter shook her head. "I would step on anyone to get my story and let's face it – I frequently did. And I wound up hurting Devin with my drive in the end."

"Was that what changed you?" Kira asked in a quiet voice, noticing the soft changes in Cassidy's face although as a songwriter, she couldn't have put words or lyrics to them.

"Yes and no." Cassidy paused with a thoughtful look. "The more I worked at trying to be Diane Sawyer, the less I actually wanted it. It wasn't as much fun without Devin to share in the big stories and the crap assignments."

Realistically, Kira knew that most high school friendships and relationships didn't last much past that time, but Cassidy and Devin had been attached at the hip since preschool. No one had expected them to fall apart as spectacularly as they had; certainly, Kira wouldn't have bet money that her friendship with Ethan and Conner would outlast Cassidy and Devin. "Are you still striving to be the next Diane Sawyer?"

Cassidy gave her a serene smile. "Oh, Kira, I'm never going to be her. Lead anchor on the Reefside news is where I was destined to be."

"Cassidy . . ."

"It's okay," she said. "We can't all be rock stars. Besides, I love my job. I get to pick and choose the stories I want to feature every night. And sometimes I get recognized, but most of the time I can be as anonymous as I want."

"You seem a lot more accepting than I would have expected," Kira admitted in a baffled tone. The maturity of her words struck Kira as being the most unlikely thing she had ever thought she'd hear Cassidy say, her affection for Ethan notwithstanding.

"I took up yoga and started a zen garden." The cameraman returned with a drink for Cassidy who accepted it with a gracious smile. "I love Hayley's chai tea, don't you?"

Before Kira had a chance to answer, Cassidy had slipped back into reporter mode, turning to the camera and introducing Kira. Her rapid-fire questions soon followed and covered a hundred different topics from her support network to her fast rising fame to her relationship with Conner. After ten minutes, Kira almost thought that Cassidy shouldn't have been so quick to abandon her dream. When Cassidy paused and motioned to the cameraman to turn off the camera, Kira breathed a sigh of relief. "So we're done?"

"Not quite," she answered. "But you have someone who wants your attention."

Kira turned around to find Trent smiling pleasantly at them and motioning her to come over. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

"No, I'll get my time either way," Cassidy said. "Besides, who am I to stand in the way of rich, handsome businessman who could buy and sell a few TV stations?"

"Do you really think he's handsome?" Kira asked, distracted.

Her smirk in response was familiar. "It's the money and the ruthlessness," she said frankly. "He's got a lot of power and pull in this town, more than his father ever did. Off the record, of course."

Kira gave Cassidy a suspicious look, but she moved to intercept Trent. "Hi, Trent, what's going on?"

"I thought maybe I could steal you away for a late lunch after the media thing."

"After Cassidy's through with me, I may never eat again." Kira considered his request, remembering the way Conner had trusted her to do what she felt was right. He might be a little upset if she chose to go to lunch with Trent, but she thought that he would try his best not to make a big deal about it. As for her own mixed feelings, she knew that the only way that they would disappear was if she gave him a chance to change her mind. "Okay, lunch. Where will we go?"

"How about I pick you up and we go to La Vista?" he suggested.

She immediately vetoed the idea, suppressing the rush of anger at his casual mention of the first place they had ever gone for a date. "Why don't I meet you at Mi Sonata at 3? That's when I'll be done."

"Sounds like a plan."

Once Kira got back to the table, she found Cassidy scribbling down another page of follow-up questions and telling the cameraman where to direct the camera. The rest of the interview wasn't as easy as the first few softball questions, but after the camera was turned off, Cassidy reverted back into the warmer version of herself. "We should go to dinner while you're in town."

"Sure, why not?" Kira said, impressed by the swift way Cassidy shed her on-camera persona. "We can talk about your crush on Trent." It was said in a teasing voice, the kind of tone Kira reserved for the people she adored.

Cassidy scrunched up her nose. "No thanks. You're welcome to him."

"I'm with Conner, not Trent. I haven't been with Trent in years, and I don't plan on leaving Conner to be with Trent."

"He was your first love."

"Not according to Conner," Kira said and then immediately regretted the words.

Cassidy noticed her expression and waved dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I didn't hear anything on the record."

"Thanks, Cassidy."

"Look, can you do me a favor and tell Ethan I said hi for old times sake?" she said in an abrupt subject change.

"Well, yeah, sure," Kira answered uncomfortably.

Her laughter was starting to sound normal to Kira's ears. "Oh, it's nothing like that so you can wipe that horrified look off your face. It's just that I miss having him to talk to. He used to keep me entertained for hours with his emails in college."

* * *

Kira was still mulling over Cassidy's request later when the driver dropped her and her entourage off at her apartment building. Although Ethan hadn't mentioned Cassidy much, she had assumed he had stayed in contact with her. He had always liked her a good deal more than they had expected and his faith had been borne out by her actions the last day they'd held their powers. David followed Kira into the apartment, rattling off the next day's schedule. Kira listened with half an ear, but she interrupted him to say, "Hold on." Her voicemail light blinked invitingly which was a little strange. No one ever called her home phone because her vidcell was the best way to get a hold of her.

She pushed the button, figuring it was probably a telemarketer or someone who had a wrong number. But it was Conner's voice and he sounded excited as it filled the air. "Hey, Kira, do me a favor and give me a call when you get this message. I got a surprise for you. I'll talk to you soon. Oh, yeah, I love you, too. Bye."

She laughed and waved at David to continue. "Go ahead, David."

"Aren't you going to call Conner back?"

"Later. He's probably fast asleep since he usually practices early in the morning." She puttered around the living room, straightening up the room and picking up the dirty dishes while David's mellifluous voice rolled over her in gentle wave.

Once he had finished, she invited him to stay for a bit, handing him a cup of coffee in a ritual that was rapidly becoming a habit. It was a chance for Kira to wind down with someone who was familiar with her daily schedule and daily plans. Like Kira had told Hayley, David was becoming more and more of the little brother that she had depended on to keep her sane. She curled up on the couch and asked him personal questions that she probably wouldn't have done prior to this last tour, but David had proved himself to be a better personal assistant than she had ever expected. In the middle of a discussion about the album, David asked a question that had Kira racing for her laptop. She kept a lot of song ideas in her email and the answer to his question was definitely in a recent email.

But when she opened her email, there was an unfamiliar email addressed to her private address. She stopped in the middle of her enthusiastic sentence and clicked on the subject line. She read through the brief lines with a growing sense of dread and felt herself go white as she got to the last line. David was on his feet instantly. "Kira, are you okay? Do you need me to get you someone? Something?"

She choked back the bile in the back of her throat and nodded, wishing her mouth wasn't quite so dry. "Could you - could you get me some water, please?"

In the two minutes it took for him to bring her back the water, she forced herself to calm down and think through what she needed to do. "You know what, David? I'm not feeling good all of a sudden. I hate to ask . . ."

"No, you're absolutely right," he said, picking up his coat. "I'll leave so you can get some rest."

"Thanks, David, you're a good friend." But he wasn't the sort of friend she wanted to have around right now. She didn't want anybody around to see her cry.

A few hours later, her tears had run out, replaced by a pit of numb misery that seemed to have settled in her stomach and she couldn't see the TV screen through blurry, tired eyes. Her vidcell rang at two, and where she would have snatched it up the night before, her hand lingered over the vidcell for two rings. She turned off the visual and answered the phone in a quiet, controlled voice. "Hi, Conner."

"Kira, why didn't you call me? I have the best news!" he hollered. "Why don't you have the video turned on?"

"It must be malfunctioning. I'll have to tell Ethan," she said.

Conner had already dismissed the issue and moved back to his subject of excitement. "So guess what?"

Her heart had dropped into the pit of numb misery as she listened to him. She couldn't believe it was going to come down to this choice. "Conner, wait, I have something to say first." She took a deep breath and said in the most neutral tone she could manage, "I've been thinking about us and - and I don't think it's working out. I thought it might be okay, but I can't handle the long distance relationship. And don't you think we were better off as friends?" Kira cursed herself for sounding so uncertain at the end of the little speech she had been practicing.

"What?" Conner sounded confused and that hurt Kira even more because it reminded her of better times when she could tease him about being confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You told me that I could walk away from this thing any time," she said harshly. "I'm making my choice now before someone gets hurt." Except someone had already gotten hurt and the silence on the other end of the phone told her that it was likely that he was hurt as well, but she had to stop it now before their friends were affected. "Look, I hope that some day we can get back to our friendship, but for now, I need some space and some time. Please don't call me." She hung up on him quickly before he had the chance to say anything that might change her mind. Her vidcell rang in her hand immediately and she could almost hear him raging on the other end, trying to talk her out of it. But the break-up had to stick - she had to be strong.


	12. Reunions and Ruminations

**_Title: Where Your Road Leads_**

_Author: Sarafu_

_Rating: PG-13_

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me._

_Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?_

_Dedication: This chapter could go out to one person – HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAREL! I only wish your birthday came around more than once a year._

* * *

**Chapter 11: Reunions and Ruminations**

_May 2014_

To Kira's great misery, the next days passed slowly and nothing she did made them move any faster than a snail's pace. She spent hours staring at blank pages in her notebook, willing herself to find inspiration in her heartbreak. If writing was difficult when she was happy with Conner, writing without him seemed impossible. Instead, she threw herself even more into social activities and running on her treadmill, trying to tire her body out so she could sleep without dreams.

Only a few people knew about the change in her relationship with Conner, people who would die before they admitted anything to the media. Kira wasn't quite ready to admit that she had failed publicly, knowing that the press would eat them alive. She had confided in Cassidy after she had sworn the reporter to secrecy but didn't even think that it was odd that Cassidy was the person she turned to for comfort. She was trusting Ethan's judgment in this matter. A few of Kira's staff knew because it was hard to miss the thorough way Kira ignored anything having to do with Conner, but they were the most discreet people in the business.

Tommy and Kim didn't know although Kim had pulled Kira aside to ask if she was feeling under the weather. Hayley clearly suspected something (and probably knew), but she never said anything to anyone about it. And Kira found herself asking Trent to lunch more than once because she needed someone to take her mind off of the pain. She never explicitly said anything, but he had correctly inferred that there was something going on between Conner and Kira. Trent welcomed the chance to reconnect with her and obliged frequently by changing his plans at the drop of a hat to spend the time with her.

But it was worse when Ethan found out from Conner. "What the hell are you doing?" he had demanded incredulously. Before Kira was able to say anything though, she was subjected to a lecture about Conner's feelings and reactions to the whole thing and how very stupid she was being. When she offered an explanation, he looked unimpressed and hung up on her. It became obvious that he picked a side when Conner called her using Ethan's phone and she had had to hang up immediately because just the sight of Conner made her want to cry again. Because Ethan seemed determined to put them back together again, Kira hardly ever answered his calls or emails. After all, she couldn't be sure that it wasn't Conner on the other end. Ethan's rejection of her decision hurt terribly especially since they had gotten so much closer being on the same coast.

Still, the hardest part was the end of the day when she finally checked her voicemail and her email and found whatever messages Conner had decided to give her. The first few days were full of angry messages that she forced herself to listen to every time, the next few days were sad messages that broke Kira's heart repeatedly, and then he changed tactics on her. He started leaving messages or sending emails every time he thought about her in the course of a day until there were too many to count. Every single message ended the same way: "I still love you, Kira Ford, and I will be here when you stop running and come back to me."

In the deepest part of Kira's brain, she knew she should change her phone number and email again since the stalker had tracked her down again. As numb as she felt when she wasn't crying, there was only a little surprise when she received a triumphant email, but the stalker seemed content with the current damage he had done. But Kira couldn't bring herself to tell Jorge about the email message because her heart didn't want to cut those last tenuous ties with Conner. If she changed them, she would have to keep them from Conner and Ethan because telling either would be construed as encouragement.

It was the seventh day when Kira's fax machine beeped at an ungodly hour and spit out a single page. For once, Kira didn't mind the interruption since her dream had been full of Conner and making up dreams that made her wake up sweating. Bleary-eyed, she stumbled over to the fax machine and pulled out the paper. Conner's messy handwriting was on the bottom of the sheet with one simple sentence: "If you don't say anything, it'll make it worse."

Kira swallowed and took a closer look at the article on the page. It was dated with the current date and was being run by Page Six which made it that much worse. The title of the article was "Trouble in Paradise?" and had a picture of Kira walking down the street with Trent. The caption read, "What's keeping Conner McKnight away? Could it be a reigniting of old love?"

"Damn," Kira said, sinking down onto her couch and trying to force herself to wake up fully. The article was a rehashing of her relationship with Trent mixed with conjecture about the current standing of her relationship with Conner. She silently thanked Conner for not adding to the speculation even if she kind of wished that his response had been more than a simple "no comment." In fact, she would have given up a Grammy or two if he had admitted they were done and laid the blame at her feet. Secrets were terrible, awful things that could hurt worse than anything else and this was a secret she would be a lot happier not having.

"Well?" Penelope demanded a few hours later.

"What's going on, Penny?" Kira asked cautiously.

It was the wrong thing to say because Penny practically exploded over the phone at her. "What do you mean what's going on? I thought we went over this in March. I'm your first call, Kira. Is what Page Six wrote true? Did you and Conner break-up or not? Are you dating Trent Fernandez? We need to get out and take control of the story again."

"Penny, I'm not ready to talk about it. I'm definitely not ready to make any kind of public statement about it. Please use all your talents to tell them that you don't comment on your clients's private lives. You're so good at it."

"It won't help, Kira. You know that."

Kira agreed, but she didn't want to put her heartbreak out there for everyone to see yet. As selfish as it was, she wanted to keep everything that had happened to herself. "I can't," she repeated. "Sometimes I hate being a celebrity and wish I could go back to playing tiny clubs."

"Well, that's not possible anymore," she said bluntly. "You better get used to having everything about your life public, Kira. High-profile romances are of a great deal of interest to the people who don't live inside the celebrity snow globe and whatever you have with Conner is a dream come true for them."

Oddly enough, Kira found herself thinking that it wasn't just the media's dream come true, but she tried to focus her attention on the situation. "Penny, please ask them to butt out for awhile."

"I'll talk to Rod," Penelope said at once. "We'll come up with something."

"No, don't do that," she protested.

That seemed to confirm the Page Six story for Penelope. "Fine, I'll come up with an evasive non-answer. Will Conner decide to say anything different?"

"I don't know." Kira sounded miserable. "I kind of hope he does so it'll be over, but I don't think he will."

"Hmph, I'll have a press release out within an hour. But you have to tell me if anything changes, Kira. I mean it this time. I will drop you from our firm so fast you won't have time to put out another single."

"I understand," Kira said anxiously. "Maybe we can do it next week before the Youth Center opening when we have good news to balance out the other part." Penelope hung up in such a huff that Kira heard the irritation in the click of the dial tone.

Kira assumed Cassidy had read the piece when she called to invite Kira out to lunch somewhere discreet. Recklessly, she wasn't in the mood to be discreet and suggested Hayley's because if nothing else, Hayley meant comfort food. Besides, she wanted to show the world that she didn't care about the rumors. Penelope's evasive non-answer had quieted the masses somewhat and a careless appearance in public would silent them even more.

"Kira!" Cassidy greeted with a small squeal. Kira noticed the conspicuous absence of her notebook, tape recorder, and video camera.

"Hi, Cassidy, hey, Hayley."

"Your table is free," Hayley said, nodding toward the small table that might as well have a sign that said Reserved for Kira Ford. She put her hand on Kira's shoulder and squeezed gently in support. "Let me know when you two are ready to order."

"Thanks, Hayley." Kira followed Cassidy to the table and sat down, leaving her sunglasses covering her eyes so the rest of the establishment wouldn't find any confirmation in her eyes.

Cassidy leaned forward and said in a hushed voice, "What's up with the statement your publicist put out? I thought you'd clear the air immediately and let everyone know the truth."

"I'm just not sure I'm ready to talk about it. It's hard enough to talk about it with people I love."

"Is Ethan still being a pain in the ass?"

"You know it." They shared a commiserating look that clearly indicated their frustration with males in general.

As Hayley walked over with their smoothies, Cassidy suddenly hit the table. "I know what you need, Kira."

"A spa day?" Kira guessed with amusement. Knowing Cassidy, it would involve getting something wrapped, peeled, or possibly bent. The reporter had been after her to join her in her low-stress yoga class and so far Kira had been able to avoid it by having other plans. For some reason, Cassidy wouldn't buy the idea that Kira's trainer refused to let her do yoga, probably because Kira didn't actually have a trainer.

"No, retail therapy! Although you could probably use a spa day, too," she said, studying Kira closely. "You look exhausted."

"Retail therapy? What do you think I should buy?"

"A house! You've been complaining that your apartment is really small and Jorge doesn't like having to live so far away." Cassidy practically sparkled with excitement. "You can totally afford to buy some place with a guest house or a pool house or something."

Hayley smiled at Cassidy and turned to Kira. "If you recall, I asked you about buying a house recently. It might be a good move to make if you're really planning on settling here, Kira. And then you can stop renting out my stage for practice with your band. I'm sure you could find a place with enough room for a music studio of some sort."

"With both of you agreeing and the world not ending, how can I say no?" Kira said dryly. She wasn't comfortable with the idea for some reason, but she couldn't say why she didn't like it. However, it might be a good way to occupy her time until she got past her writer's block.

Before she could say anything though, the TV in the corner interrupted with a breaking news story out of Boston. "While Kira Ford's publicist claimed no comment on the Page Six story, Conner McKnight reversed his previous no comment to make a personal statement." Conner appeared the on screen and Kira sucked in a breath. He looked tired but resolute and still as handsome as he appeared in her dreams. She both hated and loved him for that.

"I have only one thing to say about the story that appeared in Page Six this morning. Kira Ford and I love each other and I trust her to do what she thinks is best." The news program moved on to some other inane entertainment topic.

"Wow, succinct and he managed to sound disapproving of you and the press," Cassidy said, scribbling notes down on a napkin. "Would you care to respond, Kira?"

Kira was still reeling from the words which sounded more like a show of support than an actual repudiation of the story. "No, Cassidy, I have nothing to say at this time."

She paused and gave Kira a sympathetic look. "That's what I thought. Do you mind if I skip lunch today? I've got to get to the station and try and derail this train before it gets ugly."

"Yeah, no problem. Thanks for the help, Cassidy."

"Think about what I suggested, Kira."

"I will."

Hayley sat down at Kira's table and thrust a banana smoothie at Kira. "Here, have a drink." She looked up and grinned. "Maybe Trent will sit with you and have lunch instead."

The last thing Kira wanted to do was have lunch with Trent on the day where the press was sniffing around for the real story about her friendship with Trent. It seemed to her that an action like that would only confirm their suspicions. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"I think lunch with Trent in a public place is the only way to prove that you're not afraid of the press and that it's not connected with Conner in any way."

Kira knew that Hayley's suggestion was sensible and in line with what Penny would have told her to do. "Trent!" she called and waved him over. He looked pleased and strode over to greet her with a warm smile. "Do you have time for lunch?"

"I always have time for you, Kira," he said, removing his jacket and putting it on the back of Cassidy's recently-vacated chair.

Hayley bestowed a smile on both of them and took their orders personally, returning with their entrees almost immediately. "I'll be around if you need me."

Kira poked at her sandwich and then looked up at Trent expectantly. "Do you ever get the feeling we're in a rut? I'm fairly sure that I've had this sandwich a thousand times before."

"And I always get the meatloaf. Do you think Hayley even waits until we order before she has the kitchen start working on it?"

They looked at her with twin suspicious looks before they exchanged a glance. "It wouldn't surprise me. Hayley does like her information to be sound," Kira said quietly. "Do you usually come here for lunch?" Even though they had gone to lunch a few times since that fateful night when she had rejected La Vista, it had never been to Hayley's. Instead, he picked expensive restaurants and refused to let her pay for anything.

"Only on days where I'm visiting the Youth Center site. It's close enough that I can just walk over for lunch," he explained. "I was glad to see that you were here though. I thought maybe . . ."

"You thought I might be in hiding for a few days?" She laughed dismissively. "I can't afford to hide, not if the opening next week is going to go off without a hitch."

"I thought that maybe with the article . . ."

"Page Six is a bunch of gossipy soul-suckers. They would make a story out of what kind of mayo I'm eating on my sandwich if it would increase circulation. You and I both know the truth about it all and that's what matters."

"So is the other thing true?" Trent asked tentatively. "Are you done?"

"With that part, yes. We'll still be friends," she answered with more conviction than she felt. "And I was the one who dumped him."

Trent's expression was inscrutable. "Conner doesn't seem like the type to give up that easily."

Troubled, Kira nodded in agreement. "He hasn't given up so far. And he just went out on the news and dared me to tell the world that I don't love him."

"So why don't you do it?"

"Because I can't do that to him." Kira waited a beat and then said, "I hope you don't mind me asking you this, but I've been wondering what you usually do to get over your artistic blocks. I know you haven't been drawing much but anything might help."

"Actually, I've been drawing quite a bit more since March. Inspiration found me again."

"Really?"

He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a familiar drawing pad. "It's not much," he warned as she thumbed through the pages with care and attention.

"Oh, Trent, they're beautiful." The pages were filled with images of teenagers, all the kids that paraded through the Cyberspace for a drink, for advice, for the computers. "Are you going to hang these in the Youth Center?"

"I hadn't planned on it," he said, flushing shyly. For a moment, Kira saw the kid that had won her heart when they were only seventeen and still trying to figure out high school and saving the world on a regular basis.

"You should," she said firmly, handing back the pad and squeezing his hand. "Make them feel like the superheroes you draw them as, Trent."

He smiled at her with a buoyant grin, reminding her of Conner. The aching pang that she had kept at bay for a few minutes returned with a resounding thump in her heart. She tried to focus on Trent's moving mouth. "Only if you help me."

"Of course," she agreed immediately, hoping that it was enough to keep her mind off of the ultimatum Conner had laid out.

* * *

The following days passed swiftly as Kira kept her promise to Trent and spent as much time as she possibly could with the teenagers, encouraging them, teaching them, laughing at their antics. And if every once in a while, some kid in a letterman's jacket caught her attention with a swagger or a grin, she tried to pretend that everything was okay. With two days to the Youth Center opening, there was very little time to think about Conner. There was still much to do with regards to the music and the performance and even the decorating of the center. Trent had selected a painting committee and had set the day prior to the Center opening to let them loose to paint as many murals as they could.

Kira was fussing with the set list one more time when a slight knock on the door sounded. Kira called, "David, what's wrong? Did the driver not show for you?"

"Um, you have a visitor."

Kira walked to her front door and opened it, saying, "I'm not really in the mood for visitors." She paused long enough to see who it was and slammed the door shut, locking it with all the force in her tiny body.

"Kira!" Conner yelled, banging on the door.

"David, go get Jorge," she ordered. "Conner, I don't know why you're here, but go away."

"If you hadn't hung up on me, you would have known that I was flying in for the Youth Center opening. Now open the damn door!"

"Go away," she repeated angrily. She couldn't believe he had the nerve to do this now after so many days even if some small part of her correctly placed the blame on herself. Conner had tried to get her attention in a number of ways; surely coming out to visit her was the last resort.

"Open the door, Kira. Do you really think a flimsy lock is going to stop us from having this discussion?" He sounded just as mad as she did, and she was perversely glad that he felt a modicum of the same amount of emotion that she felt. On the other hand, she also knew he was right about avoiding the discussion and that he would follow through on his threat even if he was arrested for it.

She unlocked the door and crossed her living room, putting as much space as she could between them. He stalked into the room behind her and met her eyes. "It's nice to see you're not completely unreasonable," he said sarcastically.

Lifting her head, she carefully enunciated her words, "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" he repeated. "I want all the sleepless nights I just had back. I want all the terrible practices I just had back. I want to know why you think you can just decide that it's over with a lousy explanation and a lie."

"Why not?" She gave him a cold glance, suppressing the rage inside. This confrontation had been coming since that fateful night and it was only fair to give him a chance to say his share even if she had no intention of changing her mind.

"Because relationships don't work that way." His frustration was written in the furrow of his brow.

"Really? I didn't think you were an expert on relationships." He flinched as she blithely continued, "In fact, I wasn't aware that one night stands with the Barbies and Ambers of the world counted as relationships."

"Fine, our relationship shouldn't work that way."

"We never set that ground rule," Kira retorted.

He glared at her. "You're not an expert either. A single silly infatuation with Trent doesn't count. That wasn't a relationship, that was just puppy love."

"How would you know? You were so jealous of him that you couldn't see straight. And at least we loved each other! Besides, that relationship lasted far longer than this thing between us," she shouted, losing the slight control that she had over her temper.

Hurt filled his brown eyes, and Kira felt a twinge of regret . . . until he spat, "Love, was it? Is that why you've been spending so much time with him lately? You want him back?"

"At this very second, I'd have to say yes! At least he knew when to give me my space, and he was mature enough to let me go."

He moved across the room so fast that for a split second, she wondered if he had somehow retained his Ranger super-speed. He gripped her shoulders and forced her to look up at him. "Kira, he didn't care enough – that was the problem, remember? He was too immature to tell you about his own insecurities that you would use his past against him. He didn't know you as well as you think he did and he resented you for all of it. Fuck, he was cheating on you and managed to do it in a place where you would see him. That's not love."

"Are we done with the history lesson?" Her voice was icy as she wrenched herself from his hands.

He had crossed a line that he had a hard time believing he would ever cross. With a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. "I'm so sorry, Kira. I didn't mean . . ."

"I know you didn't," she said softly, wondering how they had ever gotten to this point and wondering why he was the one apologizing to her when it should be the other way around. And it struck her that she loved him all the more for the passionate way he had defended her in that speech. She looked down at the worn carpet and tried to pull herself back together.

"What I came here to say before we started fighting was that our relationship has never been like that, and it might be easy to walk away from us, but it wouldn't be right. I don't know about you, but I still love you and I think we have something really special that I'm not ready to give up on. I want to work through this, Kira. We're worth it, but you have to tell me what I can do to change your mind."

She heard the absolute faith in his tone, and she started to believe that they might be able to make it work. After all, hadn't they already learned that right and easy never went hand-in-hand? But then she remembered the email and she looked up at him. "I can't tell you what I don't know, Conner. I don't want to do this anymore. You're my best friend, but some things I can't risk even for you."

There was still distance between them, but Conner latched onto the subtext of her words. "What things are you risking?"

"Never mind," she said abruptly. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. It was a lot easier to be supportive a few weeks ago, but I don't back out of my commitments."

"Why now?"

"Trent's project. I was the one who talked you into performing," he reminded in an irritated tone.

"But you couldn't get the time off."

"Yeah, that was my great news when you so unceremoniously dumped me." She was startled by the bitter anger at the mention of the call. She had let herself be lulled into thinking that the lovely words on the voicemail and in the emails meant that he had forgiven her. "What things, Kira? I don't care what you say. Nothing is more important than us."

"Here," she replied, thrusting the email at him and putting her chin up defiantly.

"This is the reason you dumped me?" he said loudly after reading through it, crumpling up the email. "Some dumbass thinks that he knows our secret?"

"Conner, look at the words and at the picture. He knows everything and he would ruin everyone because we're together. Do you really think Dr. O wants to be named? How about Ethan and Trent? There's more than just the two of us involved now," she said almost hysterically.

"So what?" he asked.

She started pacing again. "It's not fair to the rest of them."

"So you think you can unilaterally make the decision to sacrifice us for this delusional psychopath? Did you even talk to the others?" She didn't say a single thing and he sighed in annoyance. "Fine. When I fix this, we're going to have a long talk about what it will take for you to trust me."

"I do trust you."

Conner loomed over her and gripped her shoulders. "No, you don't. Not the right way. With your life, maybe, although considering you didn't tell me about your crazy friend, that's debatable. But not with your heart."

"How are you going to fix this?" she demanded, changing the subject back to something more comfortable.

"Don't worry about it," he said, releasing her shoulders. "Just trust me for once if you can."


	13. Apologies and A Council of War

_Title: Where Your Road Leads_

_Author: Sarafu_

_Rating: PG-13_

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers do not belong to me._

_Summary: After ten years of hard work, the Dino Thunder team has found success, but for two of them, happiness remains elusive. Can they find it in each other?_

_Dedication: A Valentine's gift to everyone._

_Chapter 12: Apologies and A Council of War_

* * *

_May 2014_

Kira wasn't terribly surprised to find Ethan on her doorstep later that day. His expression was unreadable, but she thought she saw anger in his eyes. "I didn't know you were in town, Ethan. Want to come in?"

"You would have known if you actually picked up the phone or read an email. But I always have to show up on your doorstep," he retorted.

She winced, already feeling bad about the way she had handled things. "I'm sorry. Come on in."

"Thanks," he said, walking into her apartment and surveying the messy room with surprise. He glanced at the uncharacteristic crumpled up papers around her notebook; Kira knew he was aware of how many drafts and ideas she kept. "Writer's block?"

"Something like that." She let the silence hang between them before she asked, "Did Conner send you?"

"Something like that." It hurt to hear him be so flippant, but he immediately apologized. "I'm sorry, Kira. We've all been so worried about you that it's hard to believe that maybe you went going through an equally rough time."

"Well, you know, my best friend kind of took the side of my ex-boyfriend, an experience I'm not exactly used to."

Ethan turned a harsh gaze on her. "You're missing a few words from that sentence, Kira."

"Conner chose to give up the friendship when he got us into this mess, Ethe."

"That's not being fair to him or you. He never wanted to put your relationship above your friendship; otherwise, he would have spoken up much sooner than he did and put up with a lot of less of your crap matchmaking tendencies. And you're a consenting adult."

"Stop making me feel like it's my fault then."

Ethan glared at her. "If you had told me that this loser was the whole reason you wanted to stop your relationship with Conner, what do you think I would have said?"

Kira swallowed hard, trying to resist the tears that were suddenly clogging her throat. It was a fair question. "I don't know what you would have said, Ethan. You've always been the one who's been so protective of me."

"Because you were afraid of my answer, afraid of the one you didn't want me to give you because it goes against every instinct you have to run away." His angry truthful words made a knot form in her stomach.

"He's threatening the secret that we've kept for the last ten years," she argued.

"This so-called secret - it's nothing to our friendship. Hell, it's nothing to how happy you've been these last few months with Conner . I never would have told you to break it off with Conner. These letters and idiotic threats are nothing more than a stupid excuse to protect your heart."

"What?"

"You're still so afraid that Conner is going to break you apart the way that Trent did that you won't even entertain the notion that he might be more committed to you than anything else in his life. You don't think he'd give up soccer in a heartbeat if you crooked your finger at him?"

"He would never do that. Just like I would never do it for music. We're still separate people, Ethan, no matter what you like to think." But an uneasy feeling was starting to wend its way up her spine.

"He would do it the second you gave any kind of real commitment to him." Ethan followed up this startling revelation with a stern look. "He'd do it today if you asked him to."

"And the World Cup?"

"I'll grant that he's wanted the World Cup for longer than you, but he sees what you don't, Kira. You guys could be forever. He's already almost too old for for soccer and you know that scares him more than he'd admit to either of us. And even though he's going to retire with a fat bank account, he's searching for something to latch onto after soccer is out of his life. You're the only other thing he's ever wanted as much as he wanted soccer and being with you is something special. You haven't heard the way he talks about you when you're not around. It's sort of gross. He doesn't know what to do with himself when he has to fill the hours without soccer or you. Do you know how much time I had to spend talking him down over the last few weeks?"

"No," Kira said even though she had a pretty good idea. Hadn't she been lost since that night, struggling to commit to anything? And she hadn't even had the comfort of Ethan to soothe her pain. "I guess I should have talked to you about it."

Ethan finally gave her a real smile. "Damn right. Even if you felt you couldn't go to Conner, you should have come to me. Dumbass mistakes are not usually your style, Kira. You should leave that to your boyfriend."

"Ethan," she said warningly. "We're not that yet. We're not even close to being okay."

"But you will be," he said in his annoying self-assured voice, the one that had always driven her crazy. When she started to protest, he held up a hand. "Uh-uh, you know I'm always right, Kira. It's just a fact of life like spring following winter."

"What a dumb simile."

"You're a dumb simile," he told her, but they both relaxed and exchanged grins.

"Why did Conner really send you?"

"I'm supposed to keep an eye on you." He held up his hands in quotation marks. '"Make sure she doesn't do something stupid like try to run out of town." Also, I think he knows I wanted the chance to get in your face about your constant decisions to abandon someone before they leave you.'

"Did he really think I would run?"

Ethan gave her a knowing look. "You've been running for a very long time, Kira. From life, from your friends, and mostly from Conner. Now, mind you, I understand the last one a lot. I feel like I spend most of my time trying to avoid the guy."

Kira laughed and smacked him in the arm. "You do not, Ethan."

His smirk was the obnoxious one he liked to use around Conner when he was feeling particularly superior, but it softened into a grimace. "Kira, I wasn't kidding about the threats and stuff. It's one thing if it's physical harm, but this secret getting out is not the end of the world. There have been how many teams of Power Rangers? And how many have gone public without it being a huge deal?"

"It's not my decision to make for the whole group, Ethan. If one of us is found out, then everyone's at risk."

He reached over to give her a hug. "You're an idiot, Kira, but you're our idiot. Honestly, did you ever even think about how cool that being a Power Ranger would make us?"

"You're cool enough, Ethan, without the additional street cred," she said dryly.

"Says you," he said with mock severity. "I see it differently." He picked up a crumpled piece of paper. "Do you want to explain?"

"Writer's block just like you said," she answered. "It's horrible, but I've been so off-balance that I can't even imagine being able to write anything decent. Remember how much writing I did after Trent and I broke up? I haven't been able to write a single measure of music much less think of a way to put the pain and loneliness into words."

He nodded and dropped the paper on the ground. "It's because everything was left unfinished between you two."

"Sometimes you're kind of wise, Ethan."

"I told you. I'm always right."

"And too full of yourself by far. How did I wind up getting along so well with you and Conner again?"

He nudged her playfully. "Because the truth is the three of us are too much alike in a multitude of ways," he answered.

"How much of that is a long-standing friendship, Ethe?"

Ethan shrugged carelessly. "Don't know. I wasn't the psychology major."

"None of us were psychology majors," she pointed out.

"Then I don't know what to tell you, K."

Conner burst through the door at that moment, looking very excited. "We've got to go!"

"Go where?"

"You'll see." He jumped around like a puppy, a giant Mastiff puppy, but Kira thought it was wise not to say that particular thought aloud.

He looked at her for the first time. "Are you even dressed?" he asked, his voice full of something like scorn.

She shifted defensively. "I haven't had a chance. I've been innunudated with company, Conner. You sent your guard dog!" she muttered, gesturing at Ethan.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, Ethe," she said, only half-sincerely. It served him right for being so very right about this whole crazy thing.

Conner seemed to have recovered from his surprise. "Well, go get dressed then. They're expecting us."

"Who? My God, Conner, who do you know that would be up this early in the morning on a weekend?"

"You. Clothes. Something respectable."

"Says the guy who's wearing a pair of holey jeans and a tank top."

He glared at her mutinously. Ethan grinned widely as he looked at them both. "Admit it, you two have missed this whole thing as much as I have." Their voices rose up in tandem.

"Missed her?"

"Missed him?"

"Yep. You two crazy kids were meant to be. And trust me, I'm emphasizing the crazy part. No one else could put up with you for extended periods of time."

Kira shot him a look of pure exasperation, but she accepted the implied rebuke and moved into her bedroom. She barely made it to her doorway when she heard Ethan's voice again.

"Bro, where are you going?"

"To talk to her."

"Do you really think you guys are ready to see her naked again?"

She didn't hear Conner's reply as she closed her door, but she couldn't help the grin on her face at the same time. She searched through her closet for what Conner might consider respectable although she was more interested in what she considered respectable. Respectable to Conner meant wearing something short and tight. She felt slightly ashamed that he had not caught her at her best, but she had given up dressing to look her best when she dumped him. Somehow putting on jeans and a T-shirt and a little bit of make-up was too much effort if she wasn't leaving the house. She was actually kind of surprised the gossip rags hadn't been all over her appearance anyway. They delighted in bringing everyone down to humanity's level. It's not that she would have minded being photographed in sweats, but at least, she still had a little pride that Conner hadn't seen her on the days where she could barely manage to get out of bed much less leave her apartment.

When she emerged, she looked much closer to the way she looked before she broke her own heart. She had also decided that she was going to get her hair cut as soon as possible. She caught Conner's approving expression, but she turned to Ethan. "Do you know where we're going?"

"I have a pretty good idea," he said cryptically.

"I'm driving," Conner announced to them.

Ethan rolled his eyes. "Of course you are."

"I gotta make sure she doesn't change her mind."

"She is standing right here, Conner."

"Really, I hadn't noticed."

Ethan stopped them both before it got even more heated. "Truce, you two. I get that there are things you need to talk about without me being around, but you guys got along . . . well, most of the time, before you were together."

Conner's narrowed eyes shifted to Ethan. "Fine, it's the only way we're going to pull this off anyway."

"Pull what off?" Kira stopped two feet from the door.

"Look, just get in the car."

"No! You tell me to trust you, but you won't tell me why I should trust you."

Ethan groaned. "It's worse than I thought." He looked directly at Kira. "Do you trust me, Kira?"

"Of course I do," she said immediately, feeling guilty at the way Conner took a step back with a hurt expression. "But his plans are a little crazy, Ethan, and I don't want to run into something that might be half-baked."

"Will it make you feel better to know that it's mostly my idea?"

"Depends."

Conner's voice interrupted. "Can we have this discussion in the car?"

"Dude, shut up already. Look, Conner came over last night and we had a war council . . ."

"Now it's war?" she asked sarcastically.

Conner grunted menacingly. "Kira, you're not helping. It was a discussion about what we might do. This was my idea. You just need to trust me," Ethan said. "Please."

"I don't like this," Kira said softly.

"Look, it's a solution to your problem, okay? It's nothing terribly crazy."

She gave Ethan a long direct look before she nodded. "I'll go with you and hear you out, but we can't just act with talking about it, okay?"

"Excellent," he muttered. "Stubborn dumbasses." The second comment was just loud enough for both Conner and Kira to protest immediately and loudly.

As Kira turned to lock her door, her phone chirped. She paused. "That's David."

"Are you expecting his call?" Conner asked gruffly.

"No, I told him to take today off." She looked puzzled. "I better get this." She clicked to take the call and smiled down at her assistant. "Hey, David, what's going on?"

"I just wanted to know if you were free this afternoon. I thought maybe we could hang out at the beach. It's a beautiful day." He smiled back at her with a trusting expression.

Conner snatched the phone from her hand. "Sorry, dude, she can't. She's spending the day with me and Ethan."

"Um, okay," David said shortly. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kira."

Kira glared at Conner as she took back her phone. "Of course, David. Have fun today. " When she had tucked the phone away, she whirled on Conner. "What the hell was that?"

"What?" he said defensively.

"The Neanderthal jealous bit. I didn't agree to spend the whole day with you. Maybe I would have liked to have gone to the beach. I haven't done it in forever, you know."

"It was a crap invitation," he said. "That guy is weird."

"Says the guy who thought that a rock in an underground lair was a pretty thing to pick up."

"You guys both picked up your Gems after me. Don't hate me because I'm a leader."

"Argh," Kira and Ethan both said in frustration. "Way to miss the point."

When they arrived at Conner's car, Kira touched the hood of the car with a thoughtful look. "You and your cars."

But Conner surprised them both by touching the hood with an affectionate pat. "She's surprisingly sturdy considering Eric's had her locked up in his garage without taking her for a drive or anything. I had to take her out and have them wash and wax her by hand. Plus, the seats were all gross."

"I'm surprised no one reported him dead on the news yet," Kira said lightly. Something about Conner's car gave her a good feeling inside. Maybe it was the flood of memories in her brain or maybe it was just the fact that he looked so damn happy about the whole thing.

Conner's mouth tightened. "He's very lucky he wasn't home when I went to find him."

"You also like Lindsey," Ethan reminded him. "And she'd kick your ass if she found out you were threatening him harm."

"Some things are more important than my brother's girlfriend liking me," Conner said flatly.

"Mmmhmm," Kira said, sharing an amused glance with Ethan. In spite of the wealth of warm feelings she was having, Kira still chose to sit in the backseat, a seat that had usually been reserved for Ethan. With a flash of insight, she realized that had been something the guys had decided together. It must have been a way for Conner to get closer to her. She giggled when she remembered the way he used to slap her hand whenever she tried to change the radio station.

Conner had appeared crestfallen when she sat down in the backseat, but then he heard her giggle. "What?" he asked suspiciously.

She laughed harder at his suspicion. "Oh, Con, you really did like me back then, didn't you?"

Craning his head, Ethan peered at the floor around her. "I'm just checking to see if Eric ever left his stash in here."

"What?" The car swerved slightly.

Ethan leaned against his seat, looking a little green. "Dude, watch the road."

"Are you telling me you saw Eric smoking weed in my car?"

"No, of course not," Ethan said smoothly, but Kira caught the twinkle in his eye in the rearview mirror. Either he was winding Conner up or he was serious. She clearly found that she didn't care though as she grinned at Ethan. "Besides, weren't you haranguing Kira about her giggle?"

"Thanks, Ethan," she said as Conner's attention shifted immediately back to her.

"No problem." He hummed underneath his breath.

Conner kept trying to look over his shoulder at her during red lights. "What did you mean?"

"I was thinking about how you always wanted me to seat in front so you wouldn't kill Ethan but hated me touching the radio."

"That's cause your indie crap gave me hives," he protested, but there was a tremble in his tone that meant he was lying.

"You liked Ethan's techno music," she reminded him.

"No, I didn't," Conner said a little too quickly.

"Liar," Ethan added.

As a fight was threatening to break out in the front seat, Kira watched the "Welcome to Reefside" sign pass out of view and breathed a sigh of relief. "Idiots," she muttered, swatting them both for good measure. "All you had to say was that we were going to Dr. O's."

"Tommy's!" the boys chorused in unison.

"It's not like I haven't been down this road a hundred times in the last few weeks," she continued. "Instead of being alone, I spent a lot of time with Kim and the kids. In fact, I was supposed to babysit them today."

Conner smirked at her. "I knew you would have told David no."

"I take back idiot," she announced. "You're a moron."

Ethan intervened at that point. "Don't worry, you're off the hook for babysitting," he said. "They cancelled their plans for today."

Surprised, Kira studied Ethan's impassive expression. "Why would they do that? It's their anniversary."

Ethan looked flabbergasted. "Oh, crap, why didn't they tell me that?"

"Because you probably told them that it was an emergency and that you wanted them to talk to me about everything and blah, blah, blah. You know Tommy would never leave if any of us were in trouble." Kira's eyes flashed. She could already seen Conner pleading with them to talk sense into her. "And damn it, I didn't want them to be involved at all."

"Of course you didn't. But Kira, you've got to accept that sometimes we all need help and this is something that they want to help you with," Ethan said reasonably. "And what happened to your whole it's putting everybody at risk spiel from this morning? Don't you think they should know?"

Kira curled up miserably on the seat. This was pretty much the last result she had wanted of this whole endeavor and not for the first time, she cursed the guy that had upended her life. "I suppose you invited Trent."

"Yes." Ethan looked over at Conner. "Along with some other people."

A dreadful suspicion started to grow in her stomach. "I'm not going to like this, am I?"

"You promised to listen, Kira," Ethan said with a small smile. "No matter what."

"Jesus, and Tommy is going to try to talk me out of the whole thing because he feels like it's his responsibility to protect me."

"Be fair, Kira," Conner said. "He feels that way about all of us. His devotion is more than just a mentor. You know that. He loves us. Hell, we might as well be his own kids. He's been a better parent to us than our own. Same thing with Hayley."

"Hayley's on that list of other people, isn't she?"

"Of course Hayley's on the list. Do you think that we'd really leave her out of something as important as this?"

"No," Kira said, but she was mostly surprised at the fact that they had actually thought to invite Hayley. Civilian or not, she was part of the team. Sadly, Conner and Ethan didn't always think of her right away when they were talking about the team especially when they used to argue about the smartest person on the team. Kira was always quick to shut them up by reminding that that Hayley was a brilliant genius. Neither of them could ever contest that so they didn't even try.

As they pulled into Tommy's driveway, Kira peered at the unfamiliar car. "Who does that belong to?" she asked.

"You'll see," Conner said grimly, hopping out and holding her door open.

She looked at Ethan who shrugged. "I only suggested the team," he mouthed. "Anyone else is Conner's call."

"Don't worry so much. It's someone that can help us," he said.

Kira looked uncertain, but she followed them into the house without another word. Kim rushed up to give her a hug and Hayley smiled congenially across the room. Tommy looked flustered as he poked through his couch cushions for something he had lost. It was hard to be in this room with her favorite people, knowing that she had somehow put them all at risk.

"Dr. Oliver, this is a sweet pad," said a voice from the other room. Devin appeared in the doorway and Kira jumped with surprise. "Guys," he said, nodding at them in greeting. He hadn't changed too much from the last time they had seen him at graduation, but as he pushed his floppy hair back on his forehead, Kira thought she glimpsed an earring of some kind. He also wore a black T-shirt and khakis that seemed to overshadow everyone else's casual wear.

"Hi, Devin," Kira said softly, glancing at a beaming Conner. Devin being in the room was weird. Sure, he knew their secret, but he didn't have any kind of say in what was going to be said today.

"Devin, dude, I'm glad you were able to make it," Conner said, striding forward to shake his hand.

Ethan's greeting was slightly less enthusiastic and Kira remembered the way he had asked about Cassidy. She knew Cassidy missed Devin like crazy, but she didn't know if Devin breaking her heart was the reason or if it was because they had lost a lifetime friendship with that. Some things had never changed; apparently, Devin was one of them. He was extremely friendly and curious about the whole operation. He greeted them all with the same amount of fond remembrance. To break the ice with Ethan, Devin inquired about a new game that Ethan's company was developing and asked some probing questions about a top secret project. "Bro, I can't tell you any of that. You, of all people, should know that."

"Sorry, Ethan, once a journalist, always a journalist," he said.

Her best friend grinned at him and held out his fist. She watched with a sigh as they engaged in a fist-bumping ritual that she was sure was going to result in broken bones. "Is everyone here?"

"Nah," Conner said, glancing at his watch. "Trent's late. And someone else." He avoided someone's eye although Kira wasn't sure whose.

"No, I'm not," Trent replied, waltzing in through the front door. "I had to hike up Tommy's driveway because somebody's car was blocking the last spot available."

"Oh, sorry, dude," Conner said, genuinely looking sorry for the inconvenience. Kira wondered why he was suddenly so concerned with Trent. It was strange behavior considering how much he still disliked the guy . . . or if he didn't dislike him, he did hold stuff against him, things that he considered pretty unforgivable. She wondered if Conner would like him any better if the break-up had been amiable instead of gut-wrenching. There had been a time when she was still dating Trent when Conner treated him with some kind of friendship, but that had fled with Kira's heartbreak. She felt Conner's hand on her arm and she looked up at him. Had he only treated Trent with kindness because he had made her happy? Conner wasn't really that unselfish, was he? But she knew the answer to that as much as she knew the answer to anything else. He liked to pretend that he was a huge jerk who didn't deserve positive attention, but it was about as far from the truth as anything.

"It wasn't your car," Trent said lightly although his gaze rested on Conner's hand curiously.

"No, it was mine," a familiar voice said, strolling into the room and trailing her distinctive perfume behind her. "Sorry, Trent," she said, less sincerely than Conner's apology. Her eyes traveled around the room, meeting Ethan's with surprised pleasure. "Ethan!" she said and moved to hug him. "I wish you'd let me interview you for the local news." Ethan smiled weakly at her, but then he glanced at Devin and moved away. Cassidy caught his gaze and turned her head. "Oh."

He ducked his head shyly. "Hi, Cass," he said with a friendly smile.

"Oh, Devin," she replied. In a moment, none of the kids (or Tommy) ever thought they'd witness, Cassidy ran across the room in her stiletto heels and threw herself at Devin. He hugged her, patted her back, and whispered something to her that made her sound like she was crying a little bit. Kira felt her own lump in her throat. Cassidy had repaid her own karma over and over again just to be able to have Devin speak to her and hug her without flinching. When she turned around again, her own smile was a little droopy and her eyes glittered with moisture.

Ethan appeared dumbfounded at the reunion so Kira caught his eye and pointed at the way they held hands. "I'm so glad you guys are back together," he said.

That made Cassidy and Devin both laugh for some reason. "We're not together, Ethan. Not in that way. Cassidy and I haven't spoken in almost ten years," Devin explained. "It would be presumptuous to assume that Cassidy isn't already married to someone." But Kira had a sneaking suspicion that he was nowhere near as unaware of her as he pretended to be.

"Oh." Ethan wrinkled his brow before he shrugged.

"I'll explain it to you later," Kira finally hissed at him. "It's complicated."

"Complicated like you and Conner?" he whispered, earning a glare.

"No!"

Meanwhile, Conner made the introductions for the whole group. Kira watched in amazement as he graciously showed everyone to their seats. She was less amazed when he stood in the center of the room, flashed her a reassuring grin, and announced, "You might be wondering why you're here."

"Pompous ass," Ethan whispered to her as he sat beside her on the love seat. She stifled a grin when Ethan's whisper earned him a death glare from Conner.

"Anyway," he said, watching them closely, "we're here because one of our own needs us."

"Oh my God," Cassidy said loudly with a roll of her eyes. "Conner, we all know that Kira's having a problem although you wouldn't tell us what it is." Ethan nodded at Cassidy, acknowledging that his friend was an idiot.

He glared at her as well, but Hayley quickly interrupted. "Kira, why don't you tell us what's going on?" When Conner looked like he was going to protest, she gave him a steady look that made him subside in quiet.

Kira traded places with Conner, trying to ignore the thrill that ran up her skin when he grabbed and squeezed her hand. She stood in front of the whole group and looked at everyone. They all watched her with concern and love and she wondered why she had ever avoided talking to them about it. But she hadn't been sure of herself; she had never really doubted the others. "Well, you all know Jorge, right?" She bit her lip and glanced at Devin. "Jorge's the bodyguard my record label hired to protect me. Only Ethan and Conner really know that there have been specific physical threats against me." A brief flash of their fight about the weirdos popped into her head and she flinched. "But recently there's been a different kind of threat. When I started dating Conner and it became public to the whole world, someone was extremely offended by my choice and decided that Conner would be the subject of his angry threats. He didn't send them often, but there was an increasing intensity to the threats."

"Excuse me," Cassidy said, pausing in her writing. Kira wondered where the notebook had appeared from, but she realized that Devin was also writing everything down. Only everyone else had given her their whole attention. "What kind of threats were they?"

Kira wracked her brain, trying to remember exactly what they had said. "Break up with Conner before someone gets hurt." She thought again. "It was mostly threatening a generic somebody, but Jorge thought it was was probably me or Conner that was the intended target. But as time went on and nothing happened, Jorge and I both decided that it was a nutjob who was never going to act on it. I suppose that was my first mistake."

"A few weeks ago, I received an -"

Kim raised her hand. "Kira, honey, you said that was your first mistake. What do you mean?"

"Um," Kira stumbled over her words. "Well, I mean I made other mistakes. I should have talked about it with Conner, of course, since he was one of the people in danger, but he's been so busy and I didn't want to bother him . . ." The excuses sounded weak to her ears, but Conner had given her the sort of look that turned her knees to water. He still loved her in spite of everything which was a little overwhelming, but he had just accepted her implied apology with the kind of grace he hadn't ever mastered before.

"Okay," Kim said, letting her off the hook. "We just want to make sure that you're staying safe." She held Tommy's hand, and Kira realized that Tommy's knuckles were white. The revelation made her feel even worse; she was so often without Jorge because she needed to be by herself and that was yet another mistake that she didn't want to acknowledge.

"A few weeks ago, you received -" Cassidy prompted her with an impatient look.

Hiding a brief smile, Kira answered, "I received an email that changed everything." She took a deep breath. "The threat this time was much more personal. It simply said that he knew my secret and he would tell everyone if I didn't break it off with Conner."

"What's so scary about that?" Trent asked with interest.

"There was a picture attached with the five of us as Power Rangers," Kira said. Nearly everyone in the room had a revelatory look in their eyes. "I was impulsive. Conner called and I broke up with him because I didn't want to put anyone else at risk."

"Oh, Kira," Kim said, coming out of her seat to give her another hug. Kira appreciated the human contact, but her eyes were on Trent, Hayley, and Tommy. Hayley looked at her with a calm expression, Trent looked intrigued, and Tommy just looked apprehensive. They were the ones who it affected the most.

Kim touched her hand before she went back to her seat near Tommy. Kira looked at Ethan. "Now what?"

"I don't know," he said with a shrug. "My master plan only involved bringing the issue to the attention of the grown-ups."

She waited in vain for a lecture that didn't come. "I know I was wrong not to tell you," she flailed.

"Stop," Hayley announced. "Mistakes were made and you know that. You don't need us to tell you what you might have done differently. I think we were brought in for input, right, Ethan?" Her sharp glance caught Ethan by surprise and he straightened in his chair. Kira relaxed a little at Hayley's authority. She really was the best.

"So someone wants to reveal that we were the Power Rangers?" Trent mused. "I assume it's not you or you." He pointed at Cassidy and Devin before he looked at Kim. "And it's definitely not you."

"Yeah, I think we've established that," Conner said sarcastically.

Hayley shot Conner a quelling look before she smiled kindly at Kira. "I think the only real choice is obvious." She looked at Tommy and sat back in her chair rather than stealing the spotlight any further.

Nodding at Hayley, Tommy stood up, his hand still clutching Kim's and spoke for the first time. "Hayley's right, Kira."

"She usually is," Kira said with confusion. "But what is it this time?"

Ethan shifted on the couch and he looked excited when she glanced at him. "Oh!"

Even Conner had relaxed, leaning back on the couch to smirk in her direction. Whatever they had decided, he had clearly hoped that it would be the outcome. He kept his eyes on her. "Like Penelope and Rod always want, babe."

Since it wasn't the time to pick a fight, Kira looked back at Tommy. "He's right, Kira. We'll just have to go public first."

* * *


End file.
